Kenya is set to receive US $26.6m boost from the African Development Bank to complete construction of Thake dam in southern Kenya as part of a strategic water supply project for the larger semi arid area of Makueni County.
The African Development Bank’s Board of Directors approved two loans; US $21.9m from the bank and US$49m from the Africa Growing Together Fund (AGFT).The package, which was requested by Kenyan authorities.
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Thake dam
Completion of the 80.5 m high multi-purpose dam will enable the storage of 681 million m3 of water, of which 625 million m3 will be used for electricity production and downstream irrigation of agricultural land; 22 million m3 for upstream irrigation and 34 million for human use. Construction in the initial phase of the TMWDP project should be completed in December 2022.
The project will also enable water supply to reach the surrounding regions including the new technology city of Konza.
Phase three of the project will involve, construction of hydraulic plants to treat up to 34,600 m3 of water for household use for 674,700 rural inhabitants and up to 117,200 m3 for 640,000 residents in the technology city of Konza, hydroelectric energy production and 40,000 ha of irrigation.
In 2013, the bank had granted US $86m to start of the building of the dam which was part of Thwake Multi-Purpose Development Programme (TMWDP). Construction of the project is set to be completed in 2022.
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