Petition Committee Enhances Collaborative Efforts In Expanding Hola
Principal Secretary of Irrigation, Mr Ephantus Kimotho
By: John Kariuki
The National Assembly’s Public Petitions Committee held a meeting with the Principal Secretary of Irrigation, Mr Ephantus Kimotho, and Mr Charles Muasya, Acting CEO of the National Irrigation Authority. The meeting was on a petition on the de-gazettement of 2000 acres of the Hola Irrigation Scheme.
The petition seeks to facilitate the expansion of Hola town and the county headquarters and has initiated a collaborative effort involving a multi-agency team led by the County Commissioner. The objective is to produce a comprehensive report that not only addresses the town’s future development but also takes into account the issue of encroachment on the Irrigation Scheme by members of the local community.
The Nimrod Mbai (Kitui East) led Committee questioned why in light of the petition’s decade-long duration; inquiries were raised as why the Ministry has yet to take decisive action on the matter.
In his response, the Principal Secretary highlighted that the primary obstacle hindering progress in the petition was the difficulty in identifying a specific parcel of land for de-gazettement, as this process involved multiple agencies. Consequently, effective oversight from the Ministry was proving to be a challenge.
Hon.Mbai expressed his gratitude to the National Irrigation Authority for their willingness to de-gazette 2000 acres of the Hola Irrigation Scheme. Additionally, he encouraged them to make optimal use of the existing 7000 acres that are currently unutilized.
“We are glad that the National Irrigation Authority has agreed to shave off 2000 acres for the Community. If we can get the rest of the land under cultivation, we can get food from Hola for the Nation,” said Mbai
In his last remarks, Mr Kimotho emphasized the Ministry’s commitment to collaborating with the county to create a comprehensive spatial plan for the region. This plan aims to facilitate the development of the area, not only to attract investors to invest in the irrigation scheme but also to encourage investment in the town as a whole.
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