The National Land Commission (NLC) has launched a survey to demarcate land acquired by the government for the construction of the Thwake Multipurpose Dam in Makueni County.
According to NLC Deputy Director of Survey Sospeter Ohanya, the exercise will take two months and will establish the exact project boundaries while setting aside land for access roads, community utilities, and other essential amenities.
“The two-month-long exercise will ensure land is reserved for access roads and other utilities that support both the dam and the surrounding community,” said Ohanya when he addressed the media at Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr’s office in Wote town on Tuesday.
He added that any unutilized land would be returned to the rightful owners. Ohanya also revealed that more than 96 percent of landowners had already been compensated, with only a few pending cases.
Governor Mutula welcomed the initiative, describing it as a progressive step in safeguarding public resources and preventing future disputes.
“This is a new NLC and I am happy with this. When we did the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), we never saw such measures. With this approach, there will be no encroachment into the dam, and no one will later claim part of the land,” said Mutula.
He further praised the commission for compensating the majority of affected families, noting that only three had not received payment due to succession disputes.
Mutula emphasized that the survey would also provide a permanent record to guide future decision-making and help avert land-related conflicts.
“The records that will come out of this survey will be shared with both the county and NLC. We want to preserve them for posterity so that future generations understand what happened here,” he observed.
The governor also pledged continued collaboration with the NLC on land management and accountability.
The Thwake Multipurpose Dam is one of Kenya’s key flagship projects aimed at addressing water supply, irrigation, and electricity needs in the lower Eastern region.
By Patrick Nyakundi
