Water and Sanitation Principal Secretary Julius Korir confirmed that the Thwake Dam completion is expected by December 2025. Once operational, the dam will benefit nearly one million people in the Lower Eastern counties of Makueni, Kitui, and parts of Machakos, improving water supply, irrigation, and flood control.
Project factsheet
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Location: Thwake River, Lower Eastern Kenya.
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Purpose: Water supply, irrigation, hydropower.
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Funding: Government of Kenya, African Development Bank (AfDB).
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Total Cost: Ksh 82.21 billion.
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Beneficiaries: Nearly 1 million residents.
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Water supply: 20 million cubic meters for domestic use and irrigation.
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Completion date: Expected December 2025.
Background of the Thwake Dam project
The Thwake Dam construction started in 2017, funded by the Government of Kenya and AfDB. Its goal is to address water shortages in arid and semi-arid areas.
Phase One of the Thwake Dam project focused on building the dam, with Ksh 32.342 billion from the government and Ksh 8 billion from AfDB. China Gezhouba managed the work, as noted in Business Daily Africa.
Phase Two, aimed at hydropower generation, was also funded by both parties. The third phase involves water supply and sanitation, while Phase Four focuses on irrigation development. However, delays arose due to funding shortfalls in Phase Two.
Phase Three covered water supply and sanitation, while the final phase focused on irrigation development. The total project cost is Ksh 82.21 billion, though delays have occurred due to funding shortages in Phase Two.
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Government and stakeholder efforts to fast-track Thwake Dam completion
PS Julius Korir emphasised that the government is actively engaging stakeholders to secure additional funds to speed up construction. The Water Ministry is focused on overcoming financial constraints to ensure timely completion.
PS Korir also shared the progress in water and sanitation services across Kenya. Nairobi County leads with 66% sanitation coverage, and national water coverage has risen to 73%, while sanitation coverage stands at 93%. Aiming for 100% coverage, the government has launched the Ksh 995 billion National Water and Sanitation Investment Plan.
