President William Ruto has signed the Supplementary Appropriation Bill into law, releasing KSh1 billion to accelerate the long-stalled Thwake Multi-Purpose Dam.
Additionally, the government plans to expand the dam at an extra cost of KSh7 billion.
The KSh82 billion project, located at the confluence of the Thwake and Athi rivers on the Kitui-Makueni border, is expected to provide water to over 1.3 million residents across Makueni, Machakos, and Kitui counties.
It will support domestic, industrial, and irrigation needs, reducing reliance on erratic rainfall.
Water, Sanitation, and Irrigation CS Eric Muuga defended construction delays, citing global supply chain disruptions caused by the war in Ukraine.
He explained that a shortage of explosives—needed for blasting the foundation rocks—had slowed progress.
Despite financial challenges, CS Muuga assured Kenyans that significant progress had been made, particularly in the embankment settlement phase, which is nearing completion.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to fast-tracking the project, highlighting ongoing discussions with the African Development Bank (AfDB) to settle outstanding payments.
The Supplementary Budget also prioritizes other key sectors, allocating KSh18 billion to the Teachers Service Commission, KSh16 billion to university education, and KSh8 billion to TVET institutions.
In the health sector, KSh1.5 billion has been set aside for KEMSA recapitalization, while KSh3 billion each will go to the Primary Healthcare Fund and the Emergency, Chronic, and Critical Illness Fund.
The government remains under pressure to complete the dam, which is expected to transform water access and agricultural productivity in the region.
