•The dam will be supplying 186,000 cubic meters of water to Kwale and Mombasa counties, daily.
•The Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation says it has prioritized the development of 100 dams in the country, in order to address the water security.
Image: Alice Waithera
The government jointly with World Bank have broken ground for a Sh20 billion dam project in Kwale.
Upon completion the Mwache Multipurpose Dam project will bridge the water demand in the Coast region by 54.7 percent, according to the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation.
The dam will provide drinking water to more than one million people in Mombasa, Kwale, and Kilifi counties, as well as support agricultural activities in the surrounding areas.
The project was to commence in November 2021 but had stalled because of land disputes and compensation issues.
President William Ruto in a statement said that the dam will be supplying 186,000 cubic meters of water to Kwale and Mombasa counties, daily.
“The dam will be crucial in enhancing water security, especially in times of drought and water scarcity,” Ruto said.
The Dam, situated on Mwache River in Kwale County will be completed by August 2026 and will be an essential component of Kenya’s national water infrastructure.
Mwache Dam is an 87.5meter-tall concrete gravity dyke, impounding 118 million cubic meters for water supply and irrigation and is expected to boost the water supply for Kwale, Kilifi and Mombasa counties.
According to the president the project is an integral part of Kenya's Vision 2030 and the Kenya Kwanza Manifesto, which emphasise the importance of water security and sanitation in the country's development strategy.
The Coast region has a population of 4.329 million as per the 2019 census and it covers 83,040 km2.
Water supply from all the water sources averages 230,584m3 per day against a demand of 439,198m3 per day.
Commenting on the project, Water, Irrigation and Sanitation, Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome said the project will bolster agriculture, support industrial growth, and improve the overall quality of life for our people in the region.
The Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation says it has prioritised the development of 100 dams in the country, in order to address the water security, climate resilience, food security, and socio-economic development.