The Cabinet Secretary for Water, Sanitation and Irrigation, Eric Murithi Mugaa has told the Senate that no mega dam has been completed so far, despite the current administration’s promise to build 1,000 dams.
The CS spoke when he appeared before the Senate this Wednesday to respond to questions from legislators regarding the status of key irrigation and dam projects in Kitui and Embu Counties.
His submissions provided insight into the challenges facing Kenya’s water infrastructure development, including bureaucratic delays, financial hurdles and the complexities of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).
In response to a question by Sen. Enoch Wambua (Kitui), posed on his behalf by Sen. Wafula Wakoli (Bungoma), the Cabinet Secretary gave an update on the solarisation plan for the Wikithuki Irrigation Scheme in Tseikuru, Mwingi North Constituency.
The scheme, developed between 2013 and 2017, spans 1,000 acres, half of which are under mango cultivation.
The remaining acreage had initially remained non-operational due to faulty transformers, which have since been repaired.
The CS highlighted the persistent challenge of high electricity costs, which have affected the sustainability of the project, largely due to the inability of farmers to contribute to operation and maintenance costs.
To address this, the CS revealed that the National Irrigation Authority (NIA) has partnered with the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) to transition the project to solar energy.
“A modernisation plan has been developed to solarise the scheme, which is expected to reduce operational costs significantly and improve efficiency,” Eng. Mugaa told the Senate.
He explained that preliminary designs have been completed at an estimated cost of KSh400 million, and a concept note has been submitted to the National Treasury for funding consideration.
Calling for the Senate’s support, he added, “We respectfully request the support of this House to secure funding for this initiative, which is crucial to ensuring food security, enhancing nutrition, boosting household incomes, creating employment for the youth and fostering agro-processing value chains.”
On measures being taken to make the entire scheme operational, the CS confirmed that the government is working to strengthen the capacity of the Irrigation Water Users Association (IWUA), which has already been sensitised and has applied for formal registration.
“There is potential to expand the scheme up to 10,000 acres through a gravity-fed system,” CS Mugaa said, noting that Wikithuki is also expected to benefit from the High Grand Falls Dam, which is currently under planning.
Embu Senator Alexander Mundigi questioned the delay in the construction of three multipurpose dams, Kamumu, Thuci, and Thambana in Embu County.
The Cabinet Secretary acknowledged the delays, attributing them to financial constraints, unresolved land acquisition issues and slow procurement processes under the PPP framework.
He explained that Kamumu Dam which is designed to store 22 million cubic metres of water and benefit around 97,000 people, faced a setback due to high financing costs proposed by the identified contractor.
The project, estimated at KSh6.65 billion, is currently stalled pending the completion of land and wayleave acquisitions and resettlement plans.
He said the Ministry is in the process of updating feasibility studies and finalising a Cabinet Memorandum to unlock policy direction and financing.
Thuci Dam, also planned under the PPP framework has a proposed storage capacity of 23 million cubic metres.
It is expected to generate 5 megawatts of electricity and benefit over 70,000 people. CS Mugaa assured the Senate that the project remains a national priority and has been included in the PPP project pipeline.
Regarding Thambana Dam, which is designed to supply 15,000 cubic metres of water per day and support 24,710 acres of irrigation, the CS revealed that the project is facing procurement setbacks.
He said the proposal submitted by Jos Hansen was rejected after the proponent failed to pay the mandatory deposit fee required under PPP regulations. As a result, a fresh procurement process is underway.
He added that, while exact timelines for construction cannot be confirmed at this stage, progress on procurement, statutory approvals and financing arrangements will determine how soon ground breaking can commence.
During the supplementary question session, Senators including Sen. Seki Lenku (Kajiado), Sen. Mwenda Gataya (Tharaka Nithi), Sen. Danson Mungatana (Tana River), Sen. Agnes Kavindu (Machakos), Sen. Daniel Maanzo (Makueni), Sen. Samson Cherarkey (Nandi), Sen. John Kinyua (Laikipia) castigated the Ministry and by extension the government for failing to keep its promises on water provision.
They called on the CS to deliver on the water needs of Kenyans across the country.
The CS expressed his commitment to fast-tracking the projects through a mix of strategic partnerships, stakeholder engagement and strengthened planning.
