Sh50m water projects to end shortages in Mwingi North

The National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority has invested about Sh50 million in the construction of dams to provide water to about 50,000 people in Mwingi North, Kitui.

The authority’s General Manager in charge of the construction, Eng Mulwa Itiko, toured the remote subcounty at the weekend in the company of area MP Paul Nzengu.

They launched four earth dams. He said the dams would each cost Sh10 million and be completed before the start of the October-December short rains.

Itiko said contractors carrying out the projects would be under strict supervision to ensure they do not compromise the quality of the works.

“Our authority will ensure the contractors adhere to Bill of Quantity to the latter,” pledged Itiko, at the launch of the Kwa Kimanzi dam in Kyuso district.

“When the area MP went out to request for the funding of the five earth dams, he was responding to the plight of his constituents who are facing serious water problem. We will thus not let him down by allowing contractors to do shoddy jobs,” said the engineer.

He said the authority has a reputation of ensuring value for money in any water projects they implement.

The launched dams are Kwa Kimanzi, Ngungi, Itung’uni, and Ikime, while the Iria dam in the Ngie area will be launched on Monday.

MP Nzengu said that although he was generally a man of few words, he would always devote his energies to mobilising and initiating life-changing development projects.

“These dam projects did not come to my constituency on a silver platter. I incessantly lobbied hard for them because I have resolved to concentrate my energies to initiate as many development projects as feasible,” said MP Nzengu, at the launch of the Ikime dam.

He further pleaded with the contractors carrying out the dams’ excavation works to engage local labour instead of importing labourers from elsewhere to ensure the locals earned income. He said the contractors should also use locally available materials.