Infrastructure

Work Begins on Sh18bn Mwache Dam in Kwale

The dam will provide 80% of Kwale’s daily water requirement.

Updated on

April 7, 2023

Construction of Mwache Dam in Kwale is finally underway, following a groundbreaking ceremony on the site of the Sh18 billion project that has been delayed for years.

The project, which was approved 10 years ago, had failed to kick off due to land compensation issues between landowners and the government.

It was also delayed by the relocation of pipelines, Mwache Bridge, Nunguni ECDE Centres, Fulugani Primary School, and the re-routing of roads from the site.

Relocation of graves and shrines also proved problematic.

According to the government, the issues have now been fully resolved – setting the stage for commencement of the long-delayed construction works.

Speaking during the groundbreaking on Thursday, President William Ruto said Mwache Dam will supply over 230 million litres of water a day for irrigation and domestic use.

“This will benefit at least 1.6 million people in Kwale and Mombasa counties,” President Ruto said, adding that the number would rise to 2 million by 2030.

Mwache Dam will be located in Fulugani village, 26km west of Mombasa City.

The project is expected to be completed in August 2026.

Sh20 billion

In 2015, Kenya signed a Sh20 billion deal with the World Bank for the project – as part of the Paris Pact Flagship Project that seeks to build resilient water systems in global cities.

However, the project failed to take off due to disagreements between local leaders and national government officials over the compensation terms for landowners.

A section of leaders complained about low compensation rates and vowed to stop the project until each landowner is paid a minimum of Sh1 million for an acre.

Mwache Dam, which was designed by the Association of Nippon Koei Consulting Engineers Ltd of Japan, Mangat I.B. Patel (MIBP) Ltd and AF Consult of Switzerland, with Dr. M.R.H. Dunstan of MD&A of UK, is planned as a Roller-Compacted Concrete (RCC) gravity dam riding on the numerous advantages associated with the RCC technology.

It will be the first of its kind in East Africa.

Concrete gravity dyke

According to official records, the multi-purpose dam will be an 87.5-meter-tall concrete gravity dyke, impounding 230 million litres of water each day.

It is expected to boost the fortunes of Kwale and Mombasa by putting 7,000 acres of land under irrigation.

Mwache Dam project is part of the second phase of the Water Security and Climate Resilience programme which focuses on Mombasa and Kwale counties.

The project was initiated by the State in 2013.

The government plans to build 100 large and 1,000 small dams countrywide in a bid to increase the acreage under irrigation from the current 670,000 to 3 million.