City businessmen have petitioned the Ethics and Anti –Corruption Commission (EACC) to investigate the issuance of consultancy services for implementation of Mwache Dam resettlement action plan.
The contract also included resettlement of the vulnerable and marginalised group plan.
Through a petition dated July 20, 2022, the petitioners have requested the anti-graft organisation to look into whether the tender winner utilised legitimate documentation, particularly about the company’s prior dealings with public and private organisations.
“The above tender was advertised by the Ministry of Water and Sanitation in October 2018. The tender was then awarded by the Ministry to Consultants Agency in October 2019 at a price of Sh342million,” the businessmen told EACC.
The complainants particularly seek that EACC investigate the legitimacy of documents purporting to be from the National Irrigation Authority (NIA).
The group also wants EACC to freeze any payments for the tender while they undertake their investigations.
The government declared in April that the construction of the Mwache Dam in Kwale County had begun following the conclusion of rehabilitation efforts and resident compensation.
The World Bank provided funding for the project. With a height of 87.5 metres, the dam will be able to hold 118 million cubic metres of water.
In order to increase the daily supply of 186, 000 cubic metres of water to Kwale, Mombasa, and Kilifi, it will capture water from the overflowing Mwache River.
The project spans the villages of Fulugani and Pemba, affecting at least 4,000 persons in the first phase and perhaps 12,000 people and 3,220 dwellings from 20 villages overall.
The government spent Sh4billion as compensation for the compulsory acquisition of the land to facilitate construction of the World Bank funded project.