NAIROBI, Kenya, May 24 – The State Department of Irrigation has appealed to Parliament for urgent budgetary support, highlighting severe constraints that have stalled the completion of several critical dam projects across the country.
The agency, in a report presented to parliament’s Committee on Blue Economy, Water, and Irrigation, underscored the need for substantial additional funding to meet ongoing and future commitments.
In the report, dams, among them Koru-Soin, Mwache, and Rwabura, are suffering from significant funding shortfalls for their Resettlement Action Plans, which total Sh5.9 billion.
The Koru-Soin dam has suffered the largest shortfall at Sh3 billion, while the Mwache and Rwabura dams have shortfalls of Sh2 billion and Sh900 million, respectively.
”During the Supplementary Estimates I for the FY 2023/2024 the department suffered budget cuts totalling Ksh.83 million in its Recurrent operations and maintenance budget,” read the report in part.
“As a result of these cuts, the many projects across the Country cannot be effectively monitored, negatively impacting on these projects implementation and reporting.”
These unfunded RAPs have delayed the necessary resettlement processes, impeding the progress of these crucial infrastructure projects.
The State Department has also detailed budget deficits impacting the completion of several ongoing flagship projects, including the Galana Kulalu Model Farm Water Reservoir (264 million), Umaa Dam (Sh1 billion), and Flood Damage Repairs (Sh1.2 billion), to address the effects of floods that have devastated many irrigation schemes across the country.
Furthermore, the department is requesting Sh405 million in additional funding to cover pending payments for certified works and to support projected works through June 2024.
In response to mounting fiscal pressures, President Ruto’s government has prioritized austerity measures, including reducing government expenditure, implementing more stringent budgetary controls, and reprioritizing funding towards critical sectors.
These measures have led to substantial budget cuts in various development projects, with significant repercussions for ongoing and planned infrastructure ventures.
