Despite calls from locals to stop construction of the Ndarugu 2 Dam in Gatundu North, the government has decided to proceed with the project.
One of the 100 mega-dams that President William Ruto’s government plans to construct around the country to boost food production and water supply is the Sh13 billion dam. It will be established in the villages of Kanjuku, Mwimuto, Watathi, Gathaiti, and Gatei.
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However, long-time residents of Gatundu and local farmers are not open to the proposal. They have promised not to give up their land for the project.
Why are the local residents against the construction of the Ndarugu 2 Dam?
They firmly maintain that curses will be cast on them if they give up their ancestral land for the project. The locals claim that their forefathers, who are buried there, have spoken against the dam’s construction.
Additionally, according to the residents, the dam would certainly make the Gatundu North constituency uninhabitable owing to the cold weather as well as the collapse of agricultural production.
They also blame the government for not consulting the affected individuals appropriately and for providing inadequate compensation.
A landowner, Nancy Mwihaki, voiced her concern with the government’s proposed compensation for affected landowners. She claimed that the compensation offered by the government wasn’t enough for them to acquire land elsewhere.
However, according to the government, the contractor will continue with the construction work, and nothing will halt the project. It is said that the project strives to benefit the whole country.
Water Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome stated during a recent visit to Karimenu Dam that the dam would only affect about 200 people, a small number that they will be able to compensate for following government tariffs and guidelines.
Ms. Wahome revealed that President Ruto was keeping a close eye on the Ndarugu 2 Dam project’s progress. She said that the National Lands Commission was in the midst of gazetting required land before additional processes could start.
