Kenya’s Ministry of Water and Sanitation plans to inject money into reviving construction of the Umaa and Badassa dam’s projects after over six years of stalling. The projects stalled due to reportedly, cases of mismanagement, funds embezzlement and contractual issues between the contractor and the contractee.
Badassa dam
The construction works on Badassa dam located in eastern side of Kenya came to a standstill in 2013 after contractual issues arose between the contractors Midroc Drilling Company and the National Water Conservation and Pipeline Corporation (NWCPC) whose name has being changed to National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority.
The authority implements water conservation projects on behalf of the ministry of Water and it has now resolved the issue that led to stalling of the project and is set to embark on the task.
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It has reported that procurement of geotechnical investigations have been done and an agreement for works drafted. The agreement will be penned after a payment of close to US $1.8m to Tertiary Consulting Engineers, a consultancy firm which reviewed construction work status and soundness of the dam.
Water CS Simon Chelugui On Wednesday, said that the new contract period is set at 37 months which means that the new date for completion of Badassa dam is February 5, 2020.
Umaa dam project
In January 2009 construction work commenced on Umaa dam, located in Kitui. The project stalled in January 2011, a month after the contractor invited the EACC to audit the project after weeks of public spats between the then Water minister and her assistant.
During the investigation it was reveled that the contractor awarded the project had no prior experience in building dams. However, the NWCPC has signed US $2.5m deal with SMEC Kenya Ltd to carry out review of the design, check the soundness of the existing structures and supervise the remaining construction works at the dam.
