The government of Kenya has issued contractor, Guangxi Hydropower Construction Company to complete the Chemususu water supply project in Baringo. Presidential Delivery Unit (PDU) Director Martin Rotich said that the contractor has been instructed to issue a revised work plan facilitate the completion of the project that is behind schedule.
“We expect Guangxi Hydropower Construction Company, to complete putting up the chemical building house and water reticulation in Koibatek, Mogotio and Rongai sub counties within the stipulated time frame,” said Mr Rotich.
The water project began in 2016 and was expected to have been completed in 2018. Mr Rotich regretted that it is behind schedule despite the contractor being given several extension of time.
The project Resident Engineer Donald Wasike spoke during a verification inspection tour of the project in the company of Koibatek Deputy County Commissioner Omari Ali, the PDU Director and said that the completion level of the project currently stands at 91% with 96.7% of time expired.
Read: Mavoko water supply and sanitation project faces completion hindrance
Solving water shortage
The project will be a 45-metre high dam with a capacity of 12 million cubic metres of water. It is expected to serve residents in Esageri, Solian, Muserechi, Kabimoi, Saos and Rafiki. More than 20 reservoirs are in Baringo County while the rest are in Nakuru. The project seeks to alleviate the perennial water shortage experienced in parts of Nakuru and Baringo counties.
Eng Wasike blamed the cause of general delays to funding, procurement of pumps, pipes, fittings and valves, presence of hard rocks along several pipeline sections, challenging terrain and delays in getting quotation for electricity transformer from Kenya Power Company.
“The contractor intends to sub contract these remaining works to hasten completion of the project with a capacity of 12 billion cubic metres of water and one of the country’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) on clean water and sanitation,” said Eng Wasike
