The government has assured residents of Makueni, Kitui and Machakos Counties that construction of the Thwake Multipurpose Dam will be completed by next year.
Water and Sanitation PS Julius Korir said after the project faced cash flow problems, the government engaged the African Development Bank (AfDB) and secured Sh10.6 billion that will be spent to finalise the project.
“In terms of government commitment to completing this dam, it is very evident. When we ran short of cash, we engaged with our development partners, and they allocated additional funding, and this money will now go towards total completion of the project,” Korir assured during a high-level inspection visit and stakeholder engagement at the dam site in Mavindini Division, Kathozweni Subcounty, Thursday.
The PS also outlined clear milestones, stating that by the end of January 2027, the gates will be closed to begin impounding water to start filling the dam.
Further, he expressed confidence in the project’s progress, citing sufficient cash flow and the contractor’s capacity, while saying Ministry officials would be visiting the site more frequently to accelerate works and ensure timely delivery.
“We hope that by April next year, we should be commissioning a dam that has water, up to a level that people can see that it was not just a pipe dream,” he stated.
Looking beyond storage, the PS emphasised that the dam’s benefits must reach households. “Upon completion, we won’t just store water here. We want this precious commodity to reach homes. And that’s why we’re already thinking of the other subsequent activities that have been lined up for this project, including components like irrigation, water supply and hydropower development.”
Thwake Multipurpose Dam, located at the confluence of the Athi and Thwake rivers on the borders of Makueni and Kitui counties, is a flagship project expected to supply water and irrigate over 100,000 acres to benefit over 1.3 million residents of Makueni. Kitui and parts of Machakos county, while also supporting the Konza Technopolis City.
Korir was accompanied by the Water Secretary Eng. Samuel Alima, the Government Delivery Unit Director Loice Shuma, Kathozweni Sub County Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) Anabel Gitonga, Acting County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Water Japheth Mang’oka, officials from the Ministry of Water, the Project Implementation Team, the contractor and the supervising consultant.
By Patrick Nyakundi
