- “Investigations established the Scheme received Sh54.3 million under ESP in 2009/2010 Financial Year.”
- EACC established that the Scheme received tractors that were run down due to mismanagement and poor maintenance.
Image: MAURICE ALAL
Field investigations into allegations of corruption in the West Kano Irrigation Scheme have been completed, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has said.
A report by EACC to National Assembly’s Public Petitions Committee said the files are undergoing review to inform appropriate recommendations.
Ochieng’ Ogindo, a resident of Kisumu, had petitioned the National Assembly to probe claims of misuse of the Government Rehabilitation Fund, Economic Stimulus Programme Fund and farmers' own savings by the management of the scheme.
Ogindo alleged that EACC’s western region officers have failed to make any conclusion on the allegations filed by him and other residents in 2015.
In its report, EACC agreed that it received a report on August 19, 2015, that three officials at the scheme had embezzled public funds released to the scheme through the Ministry of Agriculture under the Economic Stimulus Programme.
“Investigations established the Scheme received Sh54.3 million under ESP in 2009/2010 Financial Year to be advanced to farmers to improve rice production,” read the report.
The commission also established that the Scheme received tractors that were run down due to mismanagement and poor maintenance.
It added that a committee of national and county officials was established to give technical advice.
“It prepared a report making various recommendations including disposing off the old tractors. The report has not been acted upon,” it stated.
West Kano Irrigation Scheme is located in the Kano plains between the Nandi escarpment and Nyabondo plateau on the shores of Lake Victoria in Kisumu County.
The main crop grown in West Kano is rice. The schemes produce 7, 900 metric tonnes annually. The scheme was constructed in the year 1974 and became operational in 1976.
The scheme has 837 farmers with a gross area of 4396 acres. The gross farmland area is 2230 acres and the farm size of 2-4 acres per farmer.
The scheme irrigation water is abstracted by pumping from Lake Victoria and water drainage is also by pumping back to the Lake.
The scheme has a population dependent of about 30,000 people