By Khamati
A total of KShs 52 billion was spent in the trial phase of the 1million acres farm in the Tana River Delta’s Galana-Kulalu Food Security Project. 20 billion shillings was spent on soil and seed sampling and testing, while a cool KShs 7 billion was spent on recurrent expenditures, majorly salaries and transportation of government officers. These officers were already on the payroll, and were thus receiving double salaries.
Four years down the lane, nothing has come out of the KShs 52 billion, except some 10,000 bags of maize at the end of last year! On a cost analysis, the government bought the maize at a cost of KShs 5.2 million per bag, or KShs 57,000 per kilo! But no one has been held accountable for this theft. We are busy shaking hands.
Our institutionalized amnesia is not accidental, and neither is our official silence. But in our homes, and in bars and next to church noticeboards, we whisper to each other about the true state of the nation. A nation of thieves, looters and grabbers.
