Fafi MP Salah Yakub on Thursday welcomed the move by PS for Development of Arid and Semi-Arid Lands and Regional Development Idris Dokota to appoint a committee to investigate concerns raised by locals.
The ministerial committee will look into concerns raised by locals on the Kenya Development Response to Displacement Impact Projects (KDRDIP).
The team will visit Garissa County next week to collect opinions and concerns.
The Investigation team will require evidence to inform further decisions by the Government.
On Tuesday, a section of residents from the Fafi constituency held peaceful demonstrations outside the KDRDIP offices in Garissa calling for the suspension of all community mobilizers and facilitators.
Among other issues the demonstrators want to be addressed include the non-renewal of contracts for the officials working in Garissa County when their contracts expire.
The following day a section of contractors in a quick rejoinder came out in support of the Kenya Development Response to Displacement Impact Projects (KDRDIP) being undertaken in the area.
Speaking to the press outside the KDRDIP offices, the demonstrators who were led by Yussuf Hussein said that the projects have positively impacted the lives of residents.
Among the allegations to be investigated is that some of the subprojects earmarked for funding and approved for funding by the County Steering Committee this FY 2022/23 were not presented by respective beneficiary villages as required by the project implementation framework.
According to a letter seen by the Star, the team to be led by the ASALs Director of Administration Kenedy Kimuyu will begin its work immediately and submit a report in two weeks.
Fafi MP Salah Yakub took to his Facebook page to call for though investigations from the relevant agencies to look into issues of funds misappropriation and conflict of interest before the project can be allowed to resume.
“We appreciate the step taken by PS Asal in forming a committee to look into the issue raised by the residents and we equally urge the National Project Implementation Unit to be proactive in listening to the people of Fafi and accept their own shortcomings to fulfil the request of the community and thus stop being defensive of the syndicate and general failure of the project."
He went on:
“ Threatening that the world bank might call off the project will not stop Fafians. Simple, We will not pay for the money we have not used or has gone into the pockets of a few individuals. You loaned us money, that money should be put to the intended use. In this case, change the life of Fafians in terms of water, education, agriculture, environment, and energy."
Kenya Development Response to Displacement Impacts Project (KDRDIP) is a National Government initiative, supported by the World Bank to improve the lives of the refugee-hosting communities in the north of the country; Turkana, Wajir and Garissa Counties.