Deputy President William Ruto’s Kisima Farm has been fingered by residents, as one of the major contributors of current flooding around Lake Jipe, in Taita Taveta. Residents of villages on the upper side of the lake are the most affected by the floods, while those on the lower side face water shortages.
Despite residents, through their County Assembly (MCA) Chanzu Kamadi, petitioning Water Resources Management Authority (Warma) to intervene, little has been done on the situation, now threatening thousands of households. Efforts to have DP Ruto’s farm manager Mr Aries Dempers unblock the four canals have fallen on deaf ears.
”We went to Warma after the management refused to amicably resolve this matter with us. We have had meetings with stakeholders but we did not get any response from the farm,” Mr. Kamadi, a resident told a local publication.
Governor Granton Samboja’s office already set aside Sh5 million to unblock the Lesesia, Sembike, Sombasomba, and Maloja canals, but work cannot proceed due to barriers from the DP.
The 1000 acre Kisima Farm belonged to former MP Basil Criticos who sold it to the DP who currently rears hundreds of beef cattle on the farm, does poultry and fish farming, as well as producing maize.
