Senate to tour Wikithuki Irrigation Scheme

 ON October 14, 2021, the Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries will visit Wikithuki Irrigation Scheme in Kitui County.

According to a copy of programme of the visit seen by Mwingi Times, the team will be led by Embu Senator Njeru Ndwiga.

At hand to receive them will be area MCA Boniface Kilaa Kasina and Mwingi North MP Paul Nzengu.

The County Assembly of Kitui committee chairperson Dr Grace Mutua will be also featured in the programme. The constitution mandates the county assemblies to oversight government projects to ensure they benefit the ordinary citizens. The devolved assemblies also represent the electorate as well as give reports on how the projects are performing in order to improve their institutional capacities.

White elephant

During a tour to the project mid last month, Kitui Senator Enoch Kiio Wambua lauded President Uhuru Kenyatta for breathing life to the arid county. Wikithuki Irrigation Scheme started five years ago and collapsed. Before it was resuscitated, it had turned into a white elephant.

Earlier, the National Irrigation Authority toured the scheme. It is then that Mr Chris Opondo, an engineer with NIA revealed that they were planning to have 1000 acres of land under irrigation by the end of this year. Only half of that land was under irrigation in September 2021.

“We are planning to put another 500 acres of land under irrigation by end of this year on top of the current 500 which are under irrigation,” said the NIA engineer. 

Mr William Nzomo who chairs the Wikithuki farmers association told Mwingi Times that they were optimistic that if well managed, Wikithuki will be the food basket of Ukambani and entire country.

Senator Wambua said it was his party leader Kalonzo Musyoka who was the pioneer of the scheme and thanked the president for reviving the project that will help ordinary Musangis get jobs in different stages of agricultural production chain.

STORY By MUSYOKA NGUI, EDITED By BONIFACE MWANIKI