Patel dam bosses fail to produce licences

The parliamentary committee on environment and natural resources has expressed shock over failure by the management of Patel dam in Solai to produce requisite licenses for the seven existing dams in the farm.

Committee vice chair Sofia Abdi Noor said that a visit to the farm on Monday evening shocked the entire committee as the management informed the committee that all licenses are kept in the headquarters in Nairobi.

Noor added that the committee was not satisfied with the answers given considering that the documents should be kept in the farm where all activities take place.

She further noted that the management has been asked to submit documentation of all the dams at a sitting to be held in Nairobi at a later date.

Njoro Member of Parliament Charity Kathambi who is a member of the committee while reiterating the need to compensate Solai dam victims, said that even though NEMA was not in existence when the dams were constructed, the management never bothered to have the dams inspected and certified after its formation.

Meanwhile Subukia MP Kinuthia Gachobe has assured the family of a 10-year-old victim of the Solai dam tragedy who is yet to be buried that the issue will be concluded this week.

Kinuthia said that since the person who claimed the body is yet to avail himself, they have resolved not to wait for results of DNA but will instead allow the mother to swear an affidavit after which she will be allowed to bury the child.

In May, the Solai Patel dam in Nakuru burst its burst its banks leading to the loss of over 40 lives in what was the worst dam tragedy in Kenya.