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{
    "id": 1625694,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1625694/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 39,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "The Cabinet Secretary for Water, Sanitation and Irrigation",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "(Hon. (Eng.) Muriithi Mugaa): Mr. Speaker, Sir and Hon. Members, good morning. Thank you for the opportunity to address the House. The responses for the question on Wikithuki Irrigation Scheme are on page five of the circulation. A brief background is that the Wikithuki Irrigation Scheme is in Tseikuru, Mwingi North Constituency, Kitui County. It was a project that was done in the year 2013 to 2017. The scheme was meant to cover approximately 1,000 acres. The first 500 acres were completed with mango farming. The remaining 500 had suffered issues with power, but this was resolved through installation of transformers. The main challenge here was the power bill, Operations and Maintenance (O&M). The bills were high because this was a pumping scheme. The National Irrigation Authority (NIA) working hand-in-hand with the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) have developed a concept note to solarize the irrigation scheme. This partnership has done preliminary designs that will cost approximately Kshs400 million to implement. The concept note has been submitted to the National Treasury for funding consideration. Mr. Speaker, Sir, on part (b) of the Question, where the hon. Member asked about the status of the initial 500 acres of land, we can confirm that the Wikithuki Irrigation Scheme borders the Kora Game Reserve and this exposes it to human-wildlife conflict that is expected in such kind of scenarios. To address this, the initial part of the contract allowed fencing of the first 500 acres, which was done. However, some sections of the fence have been vandalised. The remedy for that is that fencing is part of the concept note that has been submitted to National Treasury. Part (c) of the Question was to elaborate on the overall progress of the scheme and outline the measures being taken to ensure the project becomes fully operational. The plans to solarize the scheme as a long-term strategy that is aimed at lowering operation and maintenance expenses is on the way once funding is secured. For long-term sustainability of the project, capacity-building efforts are ongoing to empower Irrigation Water Users Associations (IWUA) to effectively manage and maintain the scheme. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the IWUAs have been sensitised, supported and have submitted an application for registration with the Registrar of Societies. In terms of the future, I note that the scheme has the potential to irrigate approximately 10,000 acres through a gravity-fed system. However, this hinges heavily on the proposed upstream dam, called Highgram Falls Dam and that is the long-term strategy. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I submit. Thank you."
}