Thwake Multipurpose Dam will empower residents to partake in food and nutrition security, says PS Njoroge

Wote, Makueni, Thursday, April 7, 2022

The State is committed in providing an avenue to enable millions of residents from Lower Eastern counties to partake in food production and nutrition security through Thwake Multipurpose Dam, the Acting. Principal Secretary, Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Dr. Eng. Joseph Njoroge has said.

Speaking on Thursday, April 7, 2022 when he toured the site while accompanied by Water Secretary Eng. Samuel Alima, the PS said Thwake Dam is poised to change food security equation and millions of lives and once completed.

“Counties of Makueni, Kitui and Machakos have fertile soils but been facing water scarcity challenges to enable them partake in food and nutrition security. This is why the State is very committed to ensure this project is completed in good time to facilitate the residents in being part of food production chain. Fast growing food types can do well due to soil in these areas,” said the PS.

He added that the project has progressed well despite a myriad of challenges, which face many mega projects of its kind. Particularly, Dr Njoroge cited the Covid-19 pandemic and the weather patterns.

“The challenges we’ve had of the Covid pandemic and weather patterns have hindered the progress, just like constructions of other dams. But currently we are at 68 per cent which is not bad,” he added of the dam which when completed, will be Kenya’s second largest after Masinga.

Said he: “The Government is in intense discussion with the Consultant and the Contractor. This tripartite conversation is meant to achieve a critical and well-defined plan which will expedite the delivery of this project before end of this year. I urge the Contractor to speed-up the completion and filling of the river bed portion in four months which is very critical.”

The PS also said that the State will ensure clean-up of water upstream from Nairobi County and environs. Currently, he added a lot of activities including sewerage connections are ongoing with sewers put up in slums to ensure water downstream will be clean.

Also in attendance were Thwake Program Coordinator Eng. David Onyango, Eng. Simon Mwangi from the ministry, Senior Resident Engineer Pius Musis, Ag. CGGC Project Manager Tang Yazhou and officials from local administration.

The Government of Kenya and the African Development Bank (AfDB) through the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation are implementing Thwake Multipurpose Water Development Program.

The program, which is designated as a Vision 2030 project of the Government of Kenya (GOK) and a key development investment under the Government Big Four Agenda, comprises a multi-purpose dam for water supply, hydropower generation and irrigation development and is being implemented in four phases