The national government cautioned contractors against dragging their feet on the Galana Kulalu irrigation project, warning that further delays will carry serious consequences. During an inspection of the site, Olando Sitati, the acting head of the Government Delivery Unit (GDU), pointed out that vital sections – including the electrification of the Ksh2.9 billion project – remain unfinished despite the state allocating sufficient resources.
Sitati declared that the government will refuse any further negotiations to extend contracts if these firms fail to hit their deadlines. Backing this firm stance, Coast Regional Commissioner Rhoda Onyancha stated that the contractor must complete the electrification phase by September this year.
“We have looked at all the factors that are making the project from taking off soon, and we have agreed on what all those involved should do. By September, we should be fully lit,” Onyoncha said.
Sitati also shared plans to scale up the Galana Kulalu project once the contractor finishes a dam intended to supply the necessary water.
“We already have a contractor for the construction of the dam, and within the course of the year, once the dam is complete, we will expand the project by 20,000 acres to support agriculture in this county,” Sitati said.
Spanning 2.9 million acres across Kilifi and Tana River counties, the Galana Kulalu irrigation project remains a cornerstone of Kenya’s coastal development. The government designed this massive initiative to strengthen food security through large-scale irrigation, focusing heavily on maize and soybean production.
The inspection team toured several major infrastructure projects, including the Ksh1.49 billion Galana Bridge, the electrification site, the Ksh2.3 billion Baricho Bridge, and the Ksh650 million Baricho Water Works Solarisation Project. Despite the recent setbacks, the team praised the general progress and voiced optimism that these “enabler” projects will soon finish, allowing investors to move in and unlock the irrigation venture’s full potential.
“Overall, we are happy with what we have seen today. We have agreed on the way forward regarding the bottlenecks we witnessed, and I am confident that when we return in two months, the projects will be much further along and nearing completion,” Ms. Onyancha told journalists after the tour.
Mr. Sitati also revealed that the government has already identified investors to launch new developments on the Tana River side of the site.
“This project started in Kilifi County but we have identified investors who will open up at least 100,000 acres towards the Tana River side,” Mr. Olando said.
Some photos from the inspection tour
