Mr. Erick Okeyo, MBS, MKIM recently undertook a comprehensive orientation tour of water projects being undertaken by the National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority in Turkana County. During the tour, where he was accompanied by Management and Staff of the Authority, he met various stakeholders who appreciated the extent of the works by the organization.
The Chairman paid a courtesy call to the Turkana County Commissioner Mr. Muthama Wambua and briefed him on the on-going projects. In the same meeting, the proposed Naku’etum Peace Dam earmarked for construction by the National Government through the Authority to eliminate movements to Uganda as well as protect residents living along water ways from floods was discussed. Mr. Okeyo observed that though Peace Dam had a number of challenges, he wanted the process to re-start away from the investigations so that the project may go on to serve its intended purpose.
The Chairman took the opportunity to hold a meeting with Turkana County Deputy Governor Hon. Peter Ekai Lotethiro. He briefed the DG on the progress of projects being implemented by NWHSA including Napuu Water Supply, Naku’etum Peace Dam and Kawalase Flood Control Works. Napuu Water Project is set to benefit over 25,000 residents of Kanamkemer Ward near Lodwar Town, Turkana Central Sub County. Speaking after meeting the area Deputy Governor at the County Government headquarters, the Chairman said only 30 percent of the project works is remaining and was set for completion in due course.
“We are here to engage the County Government together with the project engineers and we are all in agreement that at this impressive rate, we shall certainly achieve the target in due course,” he said. The Deputy Governor said that the project’s implementation initially faced delays but the emerging challenges have since been resolved.
“We are happy the monitoring team is here to ensure the project which had stalled for some time will finally be completed and supply water to a number villages in Kanamkemer, Turkana University College and the Kanamkemer Sub-County Hospital,” said Lotethiro. He said Turkana was endowed with massive underground water resources including four aquifers which the County Government intended to exploit to end the perennial water shortages in the region.
The Deputy Governor urged the government to equip the Water Harvesting and Storage Authority with state-of-the-art drilling equipment so as to support efforts to develop water resources in the County. The meeting also discussed the proposed Naku’etum Peace Dam earmarked for construction by the National Government through the Authority to protect residents living along water ways from floods.
County Executive for Water Services Chris Aletia, Chief Officer for Water Moses Natome and Director in the same department Tito Ochieng’ accompanied the team for an inspection tour of the Napuu Water Project. Chairman promised to engage with the parent Ministry to allocate more funds to the Authority in order to increase the area covered by flood control works thereby saving two villages that have had severe flooding effects
Written by Wilfred Munyiri
June, 2020