Construction works at the Thwake Multipurpose dam have resumed after a nearly two-year break. This was revealed by Ministry of Water and Sanitation Secretary (WS) Eng. Samuel Alima in a statement. The resumption of the construction works of this dam comes in as part of Kenya’s drive to construct 50 mega dams in bid to improve on its hydropower and water reservoirs infrastructure.
Speaking at the site in Kathozweni Sub county, Alima stated that the government has secured adequate funding from the African Development Bank (AfDB) to finish critical outstanding works.
Furthermore, the WS said that the Ministry will ensure the implementation of three critical items pending, including the completion of the concrete phase, construction of the bridge connecting Makueni and Kitui counties, and the dam gates that will block water.
“Today we are here to witness the resumption of work at Thwake Dam. The works have not been going on for some time now, for almost two years, due to lack of resources. That is financing,” said Alima while addressing the media at Thwake Multi-purpose Dam on Monday.
“The government has secured Sh10.6 billion from the African Development Bank (AfDB). The construction of the critical works has now resumed. I expect the contractor to resume work fully,” he stated.
Timeline
During the media briefing, Alima disclosed that the works will be completed in the next 8 months and directed the contractor to operate on a day-and-night schedule, with the state expecting to fill the dam by the end of January 2027.
Subsequently, he disclosed that the Ministry has also started to package the downstream works, which include the generation of 20 megawatts of electrical energy, irrigation and the supply of water to Wote and Kibwezi towns and Konza Techno-city.
“The next eight months will be critical. We have started working on the downstream works as well. We will be tracking the progress every day,” posed the WS.
Project Factsheet
Official Name: Thwake Multipurpose Water Development Program (TMWDP)
Location: Border of Makueni County and Kitui County (Kathonzweni Sub-County), Kenya
Project Owner: Government of Kenya (Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation)
Main Contractor: China Gezhouba Group Company (CGGC)
Financiers: Government of Kenya and the African Development Bank (AfDB)
Technical Specifications
- Dam Height: 80.5 to 87 meters
- Water Storage Capacity: 688 million cubic meters
- Target Beneficiaries: Over 1.3 million residents across Kitui, Makueni, and Konza Technopolis
Implementation Phases
- Phase 1 (Current): Construction of the dam wall, concrete face, Makueni–Kitui connecting bridge, and water-blocking gates.
- Phase 2: Installation of a 20 MW hydropower generation plant.
- Phase 3: Water treatment and supply infrastructure, providing 150,000 m³ of treated water daily to local towns and Konza Techno-city.
- Phase 4: Development of an agricultural irrigation scheme covering approximately 40,000 hectares.
Project Team
Key Entities and Project Sponsors
- Project Owner and Implementing Agency: Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation (Government of Kenya) Overall project governance, land acquisition, execution oversight, and policy alignment.
- Lead Financiers: African Development Bank (AfDB) and Government of Kenya (GoK), Co-funding Phase 1 dam construction, technical oversight, and downstream phase packaging.
Contractors and Engineering Consultants
- China Gezhouba Group Company (CGGC): Main EPC Contractor (China) Engineering, procurement, and construction of Phase 1 civil works (dam wall, diversion tunnels, spillway, and bridge).
- SMEC International: Lead Consultant Engineers (Australia / Global), Project design, technical modeling, site supervision, geotechnical validation, and downstream designs.
- JTG Enterprises Ltd: Sub-contractor (Kenya) Contracted for heavy earthworks, spillway excavation, and slope drainage support works.
Regulatory and Local Governance Stakeholders
- Water Resources Authority (WRA): Hydrological allocation, water abstraction compliance, and resource protection management.
- National Environment Management Authority (NEMA): Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) oversight and catchment protection monitoring.
- Makueni and Kitui County Governments: Local administration, public participation, cross-county infrastructure integration, and project site coordination.
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