To alleviate flooding in Nyando, the government intends to expedite the construction of the Soin-Koru Multi-Purpose Dam in Kisumu County.
The project, which has been in development for years, is high on the agenda of the government, according to ICT and the Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary (CS) Eliud Owalo, who also added that funds will be set aside in the budget to expedite the project.
He claimed that when the project concludes, the problem will be addressed once and for all. He expressed concern on behalf of the government for the fate of thousands of households that were affected by floods in Nyando.
Speaking to people who were displaced by floods at the Ombaka evacuation center in Nyando Sub-County, Mr. Owalo said that water will be abstracted from the River Nyando into the dam to lessen flooding farther downstream.
He continued by stating that the project will also be used to produce electricity as well as distribute water for agricultural and domestic purposes, boosting the area’s food security.
An Overview of the Soin-Koru Dam
The dam which was initially planned in the 1980s will be located 5 km upstream of river Nyando from Muhoroni town. It covers approximately 2,500 acres of land, equal to a total of 360 parcels of which 230 are in Kisumu county and 130 in Kericho county.
Soin-Koru Dam is proposed to be a zoned rock-fill dam with an impermeable clay core. With a water storage capacity of 93.7 million cubic meters, the dam will comprise a 54m dam embankment with a 1354m crest. The dam embankment will be constructed across Koitatui and Got Alila Hills.
As part of the Soin-Koru Multi-Purpose Dam project, a 72,000m3/day water treatment plant will also be constructed approximately 1km downstream of the dam wall. The project which is being funded by the World Bank in partnership with the government of Kenya will also involve the construction of a 2.5MW hydropower plant.
Significance of the project
The Koru-Soin multipurpose dam is designed to control flooding, supply water for domestic and industrial consumers in the city of Kisumu and the satellite towns of Ahero, Awasi, Muhoroni, and Koitaburot; supply the existing irrigation schemes of Ahero and West Kano; and, generate power at an associated hydropower plant.
Upon completion, the project is expected to provide 102 000 m3/day of water to a population of 1.71 million and to end water shortages in the neighboring counties of Kericho, Nandi, and Kisumu.
It will also act as a sediment trap, reducing sediment build-up downstream, which is the main cause of flooding, and ensure regulation of the river flow, thus providing water for irrigation all year round. The reservoir will also offer opportunities for fishing and water-based tourism activities.
Reported earlier
March 2020
Construction of US $388m Koru-Soin dam in Kenya to commence
Construction of the US $388m Koru-Soin dam in Kenya is set to commence soon. National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority acting CEO Geoffrey Sang confirmed the report and said a feasibility study had been done and the designs finalized.
“We have designs for the project and the Government will allocate money for the project because the Government has goodwill and is fully committed to ensuring that it will be implemented,” said Eng Sang
“We have really planned for the process of public participation to kick off any time because the public must be engaged since a number of things will occur that include displacement of people to pave the way for the construction of the multi-purpose dam,” Sang says.
Jul 2020
Kenya; Construction of Koru-Soin multipurpose dam to begin in September
The construction works on the proposed Koru-Soin multipurpose dam on River Nyando, approximately five kilometers upstream of Muhoroni town in Kisumu County, the western region of Kenya, is set to begin in September this year.
This was announced by Mr. Erick Okeyo, the chairperson of the National Water Harvesting Storage Authority(NWCPC) after a stakeholders’ meeting over the project. Mr. Okeyo said that tenders for the project have been closed for evaluation over the month of August after which the site will be handed over to the best bidder to start the work.
So far the National Environment Management Authority(NEMA) has granted interim approval for the project and the NWHSA is currently working with the National Land Commission to ensure that project-affected persons are compensated for the loss of their land.
Aug 2020
Kenya: Tender for construction of Soin-Koru multipurpose dam re-advertised
The government of the Republic of Kenya, through the National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority (NWHSA), has re-advertised the tender for the construction of the over US$ 231M Soin-Koru multipurpose dam after previous bidders failed to meet the minimum requirements.
According to a source at the government agency, most of them failed to submit relevant documents to back up their bid, while the few who met the threshold quoted a price that is far above what the government has allocated for the implementation of the mega project.
Prerequisites for the new tender
According to the new tender notice placed by Ms. Sharon Obonyo, the acting Chief Executive Officer for the NWHSA, tenders for the Soin-Koru multipurpose dam must be accompanied by a tender security of approximately US$ 1.9M from a reputable bank approved by the Central Bank of Kenya.
Foreign bidders participating in the tender shall be required to provide written commitment on company letterhead signed by a person with power of Attorney that if successfully awarded, they shall source at least 40% of their supplies from Kenyan citizen suppliers prior to submitting their bids.
Ms. Obonyo also cautioned that those who will quote above the budget estimate will immediately be declared non-responsive.
Bidders have exactly one month from the date of advertisement which is 18th August 2020, to make their submission. Bids will be opened on September 18, 2020, at 9.30 am in the presence of the candidates or their representatives who choose to attend the NWHSA amphitheater.
Jan 2021
Construction of Koru-Soin Dam in Kisumu, Kenya set to kick off
The construction of the Koru-Soin Dam in Kisumu, Kenya is set to kick off. This is after an agreement was reached between the National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority (NSHA) and the community living on the land earmarked for the project.
According to Kisumu County Governor Prof. Anyang Nyong’o, the affected households on the 2, 500 acres of land in Kisumu and Kericho counties have been engaged to pave the way for the construction of the dam. “The national government is now working out modalities for compensation of the affected people on the 360 parcels of land ahead of the construction of the multi-purpose dam,” he said.
The governor further added that this is good news because once construction is completed the dam will be a lasting solution to the perennial floods downstream of River Nyando which has left a trail of destruction worth billions of shillings.
2021
Soin-Koru Multi-Purpose Dam construction in Kenya to begin in March
The construction of the Soin-Koru Multi-Purpose Dam is set to begin in March this year. The project was supposed to have begun sometime last year. This is when an Sh20 billion contract for its implementation was awarded. The contract was awarded to a joint venture between China Jiangxi International Kenya Limited, and China Jiangxi International Economic and Cooperation Company Ltd.
Its implementation, however, could not begin due to delays in the resettlement of people in the project area. The project is located five kilometers or thereabouts upstream of Muhoroni town. This is across the Nyando River, which forms the boundary between Kericho and Kisumu Counties.
The current state of the resettlement issue and compensation of the PAPs
As it stands, the issue has been resolved and the contractor has reportedly begun moving heavy machinery to the project site. Gitonga Mugambi revealed that all those affected by phase one of the project have been compensated. Only those with Settlement Fund Trustee (SFT) loan balances, pending and succession cases, and disputes remain. Mugambi is the Irrigation Principal Secretary.
Also Read: Regional Groundwater for Resilience Program in Kenya Launched
Documentation for the second phase of compensation has been processed by the National Land Commission (NLC). It is currently awaiting the transfer of funds from the National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority (NWHSA). The latter, according to the PS, has requested Sh2.2bn from the Ministry of Water, Irrigation, and Sanitation. These monies will go towards compensating the farmers.
