Kabando wa Kabando to Ruto: You’re Kenya’s top existential threat
By Joel Masibo, September 9, 2025Former Mukurweini Member of Parliament Kabando Wa Kabando has fired at President William Ruto moments after the Head of State shared the inauguration of the Grand Ethiopian Dam in Addis Ababa on Tuesday, September 9, 2025.
The GERD project, launched at the sidelines of the second Africa Climate Summit, will provide energy to millions of Ethiopians while deepening a rift with downstream Egypt that has unsettled the region. Begun in 2011, the dam’s power generation should eventually rise to 5,150 MW from the 750 MW that its two active turbines are already producing.
Taking to his X account on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, Kabando Wa Kabando said President Ruto should be ashamed of himself for witnessing the launch of mega projects in the neighbouring countries while overseeing collapsing projects in Kenya.
”Rais, you would be ashamed of showcasing Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) while stocking your co-architects in Arror Kimwarer Dam scandal at State House, Central Bank of Kenya & Treasury echelons. You epitomise failure, looting, scams & lies. You’re Kenya’s top existential threat!” Wa Kabando said.
Arror Kimwarer dam scandal
The Arror and Kimwarer dam projects were envisioned as multipurpose projects in Kenya’s Elgeyo Marakwet County to provide water for irrigation, generate electricity, and improve livelihoods.
However, they became notorious for a massive corruption scandal.
During the period, the two dams scandal became a subject of court proceedings in 2018, with a major court ruling on December 14, 2023, where former Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich and eight co-accused were acquitted of fraud charges linked to the water bodies.
According to Reuters, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) reservoir, which Ruto was among the top dignitaries who witnessed its launch, has filled an area larger than Greater London, which the government says will provide a steady water supply for hydropower and irrigation downstream while limiting floods and drought. Rural Ethiopians, however, may have to wait a little longer to benefit from the extra power: only around half of them are connected to the national grid.
While relations with Egypt over the dam have deteriorated in the last year, they can still get worse, said Matt Bryden from think tank Sahan Research. Landlocked Ethiopia’s plan to gain access to the sea via its old adversaries, Eritrea or Somalia, has seen Egypt throw its weight behind Asmara and Mogadishu.