Thursday, 1 May, 2025
Senate Committee investigates stalled Changara Water Pan project in Busia County๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐ฒ๐๐๐๐ง๐๐ฌ๐๐๐ฒ, ๐๐๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐
The Senate Committee on Lands, Environment and Natural Resources, led by Vice Chair Senator Karen Nyamu conducted a fact-finding mission in Busia County in response to a petition regarding the stalled Changara Water Pan project funded by the World Bank.
The Changara Water Pan project was launched in June 2019 with a Ksh. 24.8 million grant from the World Bank, channeled through the National Government. It was to be implemented by the Busia County Government via the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Development. The project was envisioned to provide clean piped water and irrigation support to over 5,000 households in the Changara area.
However, despite the substantial funding and an initial completion deadline of February 2020, the project remains incomplete due to numerous irregularities. Key concerns include the lack of transparency, with the Project Management Committee being denied access to critical oversight documents such as the Bill of Quantities (BQs) and the Environmental Impact Assessment report.
Additionally, technical flaws were highlighted during the committeeโs visit. Pipes meant to distribute water to farms were installed above ground rather than at the recommended depth, exposing them to potential damage. The committee also noted that the project was executed without proper public participation.
In response, the Committee directed Busia County Government to submit the Bill of Quantities and all relevant oversight documentation within seven days. These materials will be reviewed during the committee's retreat to write a formal report on the matter.