Solai’s killer dam in Nakuru, Patel Dam is privately owned, new reports indicate.
The dam is owned by a prominent large-scale irrigation farmer Patel Mansukul.
Mansukul is the proprietor of Patel Coffee Estates Limited which deals in large-scale production of coffee, macadamia, dairy and beef production.
In his 6000 acres of land in Solai, he has constructed several dams to provide his irrigation scheme with water all year round.
According to Daily Nation, Mansukul has been farming in Solai for over two decades now.
However, Water Resources Management Authority (Warma) on Thursday said the seven dams in Mansukul’s vast farm including the one that burst its banks were illegal.
Warma regional manager in the Rift Valley Simon Wang’ombe said the authority’s officials have been visiting the farm and asked Mansukul to repair the dam that wiped out a whole village downstream.
Wang’ombe said they were concerned about a dam that was near the Solai shopping centre which was weak and water was seeping to the road.
“We had been pushing him to repair that one but this other one we didn’t anticipate,” he said
He further stated that the seven dams have not been regularized which requires certification by engineers from Warma meaning it is illegal.
The law dictates that any private dam that is beyond five metres high to be regularized by Warma.
“For the last one year, we have been trying to engage the company on how to legalize the dams but they have been reluctant. As far as we are concerned, the dams are illegal,” said Wang’ombe.
The dam has so far claimed 44 lives while scores of others still remain unaccounted for.