Machakos County government on the spot over stalled Sh57 million dam
Residents of Kwa Ndolo area, Yatta Sub County are up in arms with the Machakos County Government over a stalled Sh57 million dam that was constructed in the area four years ago.
The 100 million liters capacity Nthungululu dam offered hope to residents of water-scarce Ndalani ward but has since dried due to underground water sippage.
A purification plant, storage reservoir and reticulation across the villages that were part of the project have also dried up with no activity going on at the site.
The project that was meant to pipe treated water into over 2,000 households is now a white elephant despite the huge investment.
The residents explained how they gave out their land to the county government for the construction of the project with the hope that it would put to an end the challenges of walking for over 10 kilometers to fetch water at Thika River.
He said after the dam dried up, the water purification plant became faulty and the project became a shell.
All that remains of the project is a bushy site with an old fence around the treatment plant.
The dam is among the several other water projects that the Machakos County government has been boasting of, which residents claim have stalled.
Over 10 workers who had been employed at the dam led by Eunice Mwikali owe the county government millions of shillings in unpaid wages.
Mwikali, who lives close to the dam termed it a death trap and fears that her children may trespass the purification plant and drown.
Their hope is for the government to revive the dam by re-designing it to curb sippage and ensure it collects enough water during the rainy season.
Francis Kilango, a local leader, called on the investigative agencies to probe the dam to establish whether public money was lost.
He said it was wrong for leaders to take advantage of the many water challenges that Kenyans go through to benefit themselves and that value for money should be guaranteed in all government projects.