Residents of Lower Yatta in Kitui County are up in arms against Kitui County government over KSh85 million ballast crusher that is being claimed by two cooperative societies.
The residents accuse the county government of going against an initial plan that was to see Lower Yatta Multi Purpose Cooperative Society manage the multimillion investments.
About 7000 people joined the cooperative society after paying KSH100 each, totaling to a whooping KSH700, 000.
However, the members said once the ballast crusher was delivered, governor Charity Ngilu’s administration through the influence of the area MCA John Kisangau quickly formed another cooperative society.
The second cooperative society is dubbed Yatta/Kwa Vonza cooperative society.
They said the MCA and other County leaders started lobbying for it to manage the crusher.
The in fights between the two societies have forced the project to stall, with majority of the locals blaming the county government for the stalemate.
Residents said the MCA is the leader of minority party – Ngilu’s Narc – in the county assembly.
They said the crusher was delivered early in December last year and was dumped on the roadside where it has been gathering dust ever since after the county government failed to secure land for its installation.
Our investigations revealed that the containers with the machines are being guarded full time by AP officers.
Residents said the AP officers are gobbling up tax payers’ money in the seemingly white elephant venture.
The residents said they have now had enough of the cat and mouse games with the county government and want governor Ngilu to relocate what they said is her dubious investment to another sub-county.
They said the project is wrong, ill-timed and mischievous investment.
“We are not interested in this project any more. The governor has clearly told us that it will not be owned by a cooperative society so we wonder where our KSH700, 000 is. Have we been swindled?” said Danny Kimwele, a member of the first cooperative.
The cry of the locals has attracted the attention of Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua.
Wambua on Sunday gave governor Ngilu seven days ultimatum to explain to the county residents the status of the investment.
Wambua told the governor to come out clear and tell the county who owns the crusher.
“I’m giving the governor until Friday to tell us if this crusher belongs to the county government -which wants to do business with its people or whether it belongs to the cooperative society and which one, or whether it is her personal property,” Wambua charged.
The senator said that if the governor does not comply, he will use his own methods to investigate the multimillion scandals and expose it to the world and relevant authorities.
“The truth about this thing must come out. So the governor has no choice but to come out clearly and transparently,” Wambua said.
Our investigations also revealed that the initial budget allocation for the project was KSH35 million but the figure was mysteriously adjusted to KSH85 million.