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The Nairobian

Water CS pledges to ensure completion of Thwake dam

Eastern

By Stephen Nzioka | Oct 01, 2024

**A section of River Athi being closed to divert water to dry land tunnels for construction of Thwake** **dam.** [File, Standard]

Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Eric Mugaa has assured that the government is working to ensure completion of the stalled Thwake dam in Makueni county.

Mugaa revealed that the government has engaged the African Development Bank (AfDB) to secure funds to construct the dam.

“We want to push all stakeholders involved to ensure that we complete this project. Fiscal financial space we are currently operating in as a nation is cutting across all the ministries and therefore, Water and Sanitation is not spared. This is why we are in constant communication with the AfDB to fast-track payment of pending certificates so that the contractor can complete the work,” said the CS.

He was speaking on Monday after inspecting the dam, which has faced financial challenges following design variation of about Sh9.2 billion.

The CS assured of his ministry's commitment to fast-track processing of the pending Interim Payment Certificates (IPCs).

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The AfDB-GoK funded multi-billion project, is expected to benefit close to 1.3 million residents drawn from the rural parts of lower eastern counties of Makueni, Kitui and parts of Machakos.

“The project has made significant progress of more than 94 per cent of the phase 1 and is likely to be completed mid next year,” the CS said.

Mugaa was accompanied by Water and Sanitation Principal Secretary Julius Korir, Water Secretary Samuel Alima, the contractor, the consultant and a section of the implementation team.

He noted that the State has allocated Sh17 billion for the water supply component and Sh2.4 billion for the irrigation component.

The first phase, which involved construction of 80.5m high multi-purpose dam with a storage of 688m m3 of water, gobbled more than Sh4 billion.

Thwake Multipurpose Water Development Program is designated as a Vision 2030 project by the Government of Kenya.

It is anchored on the State’s agenda to fulfill the long-term country’s development ambition in the areas of water, energy, agriculture and flood mitigation.