Deputy President William Ruto has once again taken on the local dailies over a news headline that he termed as inaccurate.
DP Ruto at loggerheads with the papers, again.
DP William Ruto responds to Standard after report on pre-mature Nzoia project launch
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In what has come the DP's custom, he took to his verified Twitter handle to issue a response to a report published by the Standard on Wednesday.
The report indicated that Dr Ruto, in June, prematurely launched the Sh5.3 billion Lower Nzoia irrigation project.
DP William Ruto responds to Standard after report on pre-mature Nzoia project launch
Pulse Live Kenya
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Water Principal Secretary Joseph Irungu told a Parliament committee investigating the project that the DP bypassed the ministry and launched the project without written communication to CS Simon Chelugui.
In response, DP Ruto tweeted: "The launched Lower Nzoia flood mitigation and irrigation project is now 15% in progress and is meant to eliminate destructive perennial flooding and increase acreage under irrigation.
"I have followed this project since 2008 as minister for agriculture. Wacheni njama na siasa mbichi," the DP's tweet read.
Water Ministry had halted the launch
PS Irungu explained to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that the ministry had halted plans to launch the project because they were yet to compensate land owners whose land would be affected by the project.
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"There was no contact between the DP's office and my office. Even my project engineer was not there. Compensation is a very sensitive matter, which we must handle well," the PS explained.
Water PS Joseph Irungu. DP William Ruto responds to Standard after report on pre-mature Nzoia project launch
Pulse Live Kenya
The report raises questions on other projects launched by the DP and whether the necessary approvals are normally in place before he visits to launch them.
