Economy

MPs want Sh400m released for Galana irrigation project

galana

President Uhuru Kenyatta during the ground breaking at Galana-Kulalu irrigation project. PHOTO | FILE

Parliament will push the Treasury to release Sh400 million for the Galana Irrigation Scheme to avoid stalling of the ongoing works by the new contractor at the farm.

The move follows the decision by Treasury to cut the funds that it been allocated to National Irrigation Authority (NIA) from Sh600 million to Sh400 in the current financial year.

The chairman of the National Assembly on Environment, Water, and Natural Resource Kareke Mbiuki said the current progress made by the second contractor is at risk of stalling if NIA does not get the much needed funds on time.

The tender to a new contractor was issued at a sum of Sh786 million and NIA was to bridge deficit of Sh186 million.

“We have seen what is going on at Galana and I must admit that the second contractor has made much progress. However, this work may stall if they do not get enough funding,” said Mr Mbiuki.

The National Treasury had allocated NIR Sh600 million after the agency requested at least Sh800 million in the current financial year for laying of infrastructure and expanding the crop cover, however, through an addendum, Treasury scrapped off Sh400 million.


Mr Mbiuki said his committee will be pushing through parliament to have the agency get the funds in the supplementary budget one expected to be tabled sometime in October.

The committee vice chair Sophia Noor said the fact finding mission to Galana scheme has proved that the project is viable and can be the solution to perennial shortages that the country witnesses every year.

“From what we have just seen, it is evident that this project has the potential to feed the whole country if it gets the support that is required. It can actually cut on the maize imports that we make every year,” said Ms Noor.

The new contractor-Irrico Kenya was awarded the Sh797 million tender for the completion of the model farm after the Ministry of Water terminated Green Arava’s contract.

The contractor is rehabilitating the water intake at the farm and installing additional pumps to cater for the entire model farm.

The Galana project was supposed to have been opened up for large scale production under the Private Public Partnership by now as the model farm, which is a demonstration block that covers 10,000 acres was to be completed by 2018.

The second phase of Galana Kulalu model farm is currently 30 complete complete and the remaining portion is expected to be completed by February 2022 subject to resource availability.