Thwake Multi-Purpose Dam, considered Kenya’s largest earth dam, which has stalled for close to two years, has now received a major boost. This is after the Cabinet approved additional KSh 12.8 billion in financing this major water infrastructure project, designed to serve 1.3 million people living in the three counties of Makueni, Kitui and Machakos.
The Thwake Multi-Purpose Water Development Programme, is a dam complex being built on the Athi River in Kenya.
The dam is meant to be a multipurpose dam that provides drinking water, agricultural irrigation water, hydropower, and other water supply infrastructure.
The dam has a 688 million cubic metres water storage capacity and is meant for rural homes and surrounding cities and towns. The dam cost KSh37 billion and is being built by the China Gezhouba Group Company. The Funding was provided by the African Development Fund.
Once completed, the Dam will supply clean water, generate electricity, support farming, and control floods in this semi-arid Lower Eastern region of Kenya.
This Dam holds great promise for water security, agriculture and livelihoods across the entire Ukambani region.
Cabinet approval of this additional funding of this Dam happens as Kenya prepares for the El-Nino rains, during the October- December season. Any flooding in the region is therefore not anticipated as the dam is expected to fill up following the overflow from Athi, Nairobi River and Ngong River systems.
Concerns over quality of water in Thwake Dam
Concerns are already being raised over the quality of Athi, Ngong and Nairobi River, expected to fill up Thwake dam, especially heavy industrial effluent and metal contamination that these water bodies currently experience.
Questions are being asked about how the Government will ensure Thwake Dam stores water that is not only abundant, but also safe for human consumption, irrigation and fisheries. Environmental experts consider Athi River, one of the main leads to Thwake Dam, as one of Kenya’s dirtiest rivers upstream.
While touring Kitui County, President William Ruto early this year said once completed, Thwake Dam will be commissioned in April 2027.
Thwake Multi-Purpose Dam is designed to increase water storage for rural and urban domestic use, irrigation, livestock and for hydropower with a principal focus on the semi-arid counties of Kitui and Makueni where the dam is located, according to Thwake Multi-purpose Water Development Program (TMWDP).
“Thwake Dam is the biggest dam project in the country. We have now secured Sh10.6 billion for completing the dam. By April next year, we hope to commission this dam to enable socio-economic benefits to the people drawn from the rural areas of Makueni, Kitui and even parts of Machakos counties,” said President William Ruto.
More than concrete and water, Thwake Dam is envisioned as a powerful engine for poverty reduction, food security, energy access, and inclusive growth.
The Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation, with the AfDB’s support, is implementing the Thwake Multipurpose Water Development Program Phase 1 as a flagship Vision 2030 project.
The programme targets long-term national development ambitions in water, energy, and agriculture.
It comprises a multi-purpose dam for water supply, hydropower generation, irrigation development, and regulation of River Athi flows for flood control and drought mitigation.
Once completed, Thwake Dam will provide clean drinking water, enable irrigation for over 40,000 hectares of farmland, and generate 20 MW of hydropower.
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