MP asks DPP to probe NIB over misuse of Sh. 409m Maguguni project, accuse local leader of sabotage.

A resident of Ngoliba explains a point to Thika Towm MP Patrick Wainaina on Sunday evening  during a public baraza to discuss the future of NDUMANGO Water Project.

Thika Town MP Eng. Patrick Wainaina is now calling on the office of the DPP and EACC to investigate the alleged misuse of Sh409 million disbursed by the government for the Ndula-Maguguni-Ngoliba (NDUMANGO) water project in 2015.

Speaking at Ngoliba and Maguguni trading centres on Sunday evening, the MP said that he was shocked to see a report by the National Irrigation Board (NIB) purporting that the project was 90% complete while the facts on the ground revealed that none of the intended beneficiaries had been connected with water.

“NDUMANGO leaders approached me early in May (2018) seeking my assistance to revive the stalled water project. I, through Jungle Foundation, recently injected Ksh. 30 million into it and we have now managed to ensure the water has been connected to the various water points within the three areas. What is remaining now is to connect feeder pipes into the households,” he said.

He accused the NIB leadership of taking advantage of these new developments to take credit and further seek for more funding to ‘complete’ the project.

“I have information that NIB leaders are coming to this place on Tuesday this week with a view of taking credit of what we have done so far and seek more financial allocation to complete the work. I appeal to you to demand for answers on how they spent the Ksh. 409 million that was advanced to them in 2015,” he told the residents of Maguguni.

(Related story: Ngoliba residents elated by irrigation project poised to turn around their fortunes.)

He promised to invite the Parliamentary Agriculture, Livestock and Cooperatives Committee to visit the area in order to ascertain the facts on the ground.

Wainaina also called on the investigative agencies to probe the involvement of a local politician who has been accused of hiring goons to destroy the newly installed water pipes, lamenting that it was quite unfortunate for elected leaders to sabotage development programmes meant to benefit the same 

people they presumed to lead.

“Just the other day, Makongeni police arrested a suspect found vandalising the pipes at the water collection point at Chania River near BAT. After interrogation, he confessed to have been paid sh. 500 by the politician to destroy the pipes. It is shocking to note that the same politician later that evening bailed out the suspect and is said to be working his way to have the charges against the suspect dropped,” lamented Wainaina.

Wainaina also vowed to petition the National Land Commission to rubbish the controversial renewal of the Del Monte lease to further 99 years until the matter was comprehensively discussed by all stakeholders in public fora.

He failed to understand how the land would be subdivided to benefit individuals saying that such a process was tantamount to abuse and fraud.

“How do you decide who gets a plot of land in the land and who doesn’t? Sharing it to individuals is tantamount to abuse. The land should only be utilised to construct amenities such as markets, industrial parks and other public facilities,” he posed.