EACC briefs implementation committee on status of investigations on West Kano irrigation scheme

EACC briefs implementation committee on status of investigations on West Kano irrigation scheme

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission has told the Committee on Implementation that no public funds were lost during the Implementation of a food security program at the West Kano Irrigation Scheme funded under the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP).

The initiative funded by the government to the tune of Kshs. 54,331,938 in the 2009/2010 Financial Year, was intended to offer support to farmers under the irrigation scheme to improve their rice production under the government’s plan to bolster food production in the country. 

The Hon. Raphael Wanjala-led Committee had invited the CEO, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and his counterpart from the National Irrigation Authority to apprise the lawmakers on the status of implementation of the Report of the Public Petitions Committee on a petition filed I. 2022 by Pastor Ochieng Odindo on EACC seeking Investigations of graft in the West Kano Irrigation Scheme. 

The then National Irrigation Board (NIB), currently National Irrigation Authority (NIA) which was represented at the meeting, told the Committee that the monies had been provided to the scheme as a grant, but the joint management of the scheme Management and West Kano Farmers recommended that this support be recovered at the end of the growing season, and be converted into a revolving fund.

The revolving fund was to be used to ensure sustainability of scheme production and operation activities. The Fund was consequently formed by farmers to manage the funds in 2010 but collapsed thereafter when farmers resisted to pay back due to lack of a binding obligation to recover and contribute to the revolved fund. 

Mr. Jackson Mue, Director - Field Services, EACC who represented the CEO, told the meeting that after all the required documentation regarding the fund had been provided, the Commission had established that there was no misappropriation of the Fund as alleged by the petitioner. 

“Hon. Members, investigations have been completed and did not disclose loss of public funds under the ESP grant”, he told the lawmakers. 

But Members led by Hon. Wanjala sought to know why there was a discrepancy of Kshs. 10 million in the records filed together with the petition by Pastor Odindo. In response, Mr. Mue told the Members that after thorough investigations, they had established that the amount expended under ESP was only Kshs.54 million which had been accounted for. 

However, the Committee heard that there had been embezzlement of the West Kano Irrigation Farmers Revolving Fund (WKIFRF) amounting to Kshs. 14,598,888. 

Mr. Mue told the Committee that although the fund was neither registered, nor had structures or any governance instruments for accountability, the Commission has a mandate to pursue civil recovery of the monies from its former officials, although one is now deceased. 

The Commission further noted that there was an allegation relating to mismanagement of 13 tractors received from Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) and the Ministry of Agriculture at subsidized rates. 

The machinery was partially paid for by the County Government of Kisumu at Kshs. 32.1 million. The Commission told the Committee that as at April 2013, 13 tractors were not serviceable a matter that was being audited by the County Government of Kisumu. 

“The Commission has established that the Kisumu County Government has initiated an audit to assess the status of the tractors and farm machinery for West Kano Irrigation Co-operative Society as a remedial action”, EACC’s Mr. Mue noted. 

Hon. Wanjala however sought to know how long the EACC would take to initiate charges on the three cooperative officials.

“EACC has become very fond of releasing reports highlighting the corruption index in the country. We want you to go beyond that and start prosecuting those involved in graft. We want to know how long the Commission will take to initiate charges against those who embezzled farmers’ monies.”, the told the Commission.

The Commission officials are expected to update the Committee on the progress of the matter before the end of the month.