Key projects stall as insecurity escalates in North Rift region

Vandalised, rusty water pipes and a bushy field is what remains of a Sh245 million irrigation project that was supposed to improve the lives of people living at the border of Baringo and Elgeyo Marakwet counties.

The project on a 1,000-acre parcel of land is lying idle after being fully built because of insecurity in the area that is a result of rampant cattle rustling.

The plan was to use water from River Embombut in Elgeyo Marakwet and residents in the neigbouring Baringo County were to cultivate crops on 500 acres of land.

Their neighbours were also to benefit from another 500 acres under the irrigation scheme.

The architects of the project wanted to address the issue of food insecurity that has made the region to depend on relief food for ages.

But the two communities living in the counties – the Pokot and Marakwet – cannot see eye to eye, making it impossible for the project to take off.

Now anthills as tall as five metres high are all one can see as you venture into the land.

The pipes laid between 2010 and 2013 using donor funds are rusting away.

Nicholas Kemboi, Kenya Red Cross Society North Rift Regional Manager, says at the time the project was conceived and implemented there were no conflicts.

“In 2014, the residents had a bumper harvest but in the years that followed the conflict started and escalated as time went by. Water connection to the irrigation scheme was disconnected by one of the parties,” Kemboi says.

Theft of livestock

He recalls that the conflict that revolved around theft of livestock began just a year after they handed over the project to the communities.

“We have been thinking to engage other stakeholders to resuscitate the project,” Kemboi said.

But the irrigation project is not the only one that has been affected by the insecurity in the North Rift region that is prone to cattle rustling.

Many other key projects that are meant to alleviate suffering and improve the lives of the people – initiated by both the national and county governments – have either been abandoned or stalled due to insecurity.

Companies contracted to implement some of the projects have pulled out following attacks on their workers.

In January last year, 12 workers at a construction site were attacked by suspected bandits in Kasarani area in Kapedo. Three people were killed.

The 12 were working at a bridge along the Napeitom-Lomelo-Kapedo route and were on their way home aboard a police vehicle in the evening after work. Since then the project stalled.

In August 2016, Kenya National Highways Authority (Kenha) carried out an environmental and social impact assessment for the proposed upgrading of Ng’inyang-Lokori-Lokichar road to Bitumen standard.

The works on the 198km road were to start at Ng’inyang and the road runs through Kapedo, Napeitom and Lokori.

Kenha North Rift Regional Director Franklin Kipyator said design work had been completed and they were waiting for funds to have the project implemented.

He, however, said Sh86 million had been allocated for the normal maintenance of the road.

Kipyator said a contractor had begun grading and graveling the road.

He said three boreholes were also to be drilled along the route.

Now this road has also stalled, forcing residents to use a 241km alternative route through Ng’inyang-Tot-Marich Pass-Kainuk- Lokichar.

At Chemolingot in Tiaty Constituency, the construction of a Sh233 million technical training institute that was started in 2012 has also stalled due to rising insecurity.

Now many of the students from the region now only have to either move to neighbouring counties to further their education or join the gang of armed bandits.

Henry Lelei, the project contractor, told The Standard that insecurity in the region over the years and delays in payment had slowed down construction of the institute.

Lelei said the construction has been in phases, with workers on and off the site depending on the security situation and availability of funds.

He said the project is 95 per cent complete and his company intended to do a partial handing over to the government so that learning could proceed later this year.

Rift Valley Regional Commissioner George Natembeya regretted that the residents were marginalising themselves by engaging in illegal activities like cattle rustling.

“These people don’t want anything called development, they are marginalising themselves. They have not been marginalised by the government as alleged,” Natembeya said.