The slow process of land acquisition by the National Land Commission is delaying construction of Sh24 billion Kariminu II Dam, the implementing agency has said.
Athi Water Works Development Agency (AWWDA), which is the implementing agency, said in a statement on Tuesday that the challenge has been occasioned by lack of funds to compensate 28 Project Affected Persons (PAPs) in phase 1 of the project.
Succession and family disputes have also been delaying land acquisition, the agency said.
The Dam is being constructed in Kiriko, Gathanji, Buchana and Kariminu villages in Gatundu North subcounty, Kiambu county.
The dam will be built on 600 acres and will take 36 months to complete – by the end of December 2020. The contract for the construction of the dam was signed in May 2017.
The contractor has access to 136.5 acres out of the 171 acres required for phase 1. The contractor is yet to get the entire land since 28 residents have not yet been compensated.
“The process of compensation for the first 171 acres involving 246 PAPs is ongoing. So far, 228 have been compensated at a cost of Sh1.09 billion. Compensation for the remaining 18 PAPs and an additional 10 who arose out of subdivision of some parcels of land is ongoing,” the statement read.
The remaining 34.5 acres are critical to the completion of the diversion tunnel and construction of the water intake tower and bridge.
“AWWDA is awaiting the NLC to complete compensation of the remaining parcels within the priority area and issuance of taking over possession of the land,” the statement read.
However, the agency noted that five per cent of the work is complete, including excavation and primary lining of the 408-metre long diversion tunnel.
“Geotechnical and topographical surveys for the treatment plant and pipelines are ongoing. Dam foundation and construction of administration blocks is also underway.”
The project is being funded by the Kenyan government and China Exim Bank and is being implemented through a joint venture between International Holding Corporation (AVIC) and Shanghai Municipal Engineering Design Institute (SMEDI).
Upon completion, the dam will have a height of 59 metres with a 26.5 million cubic metres storage volume. It is expected to produce 70,000 cubic metres of water per day.
Once complete, residents of Kiambu will be the major beneficiaries since 80 per cent of the water will be supplied to Thika, Juja and Ruiru constituencies. The remaining 20 per cent will be channelled to Nairobi .ounty.
Meanwhile, residents are happy with the project because it has created employment. Over 500 residents have secured jobs at the project site, including casuals, machine operators, drivers and technicians.
“Residents can now put food on the table and cater for other family needs thanks to this project. The experience we are gaining here is important, and we can apply it to other projects once this one is complete,” resident Paul Njuguna, who works at the site as a safety officer, said.
Mary Wambui, who operates an excavator, said she bought land in Maguguni, Thika, from her salary.
Residents are now benefiting from infrastructural improvements, especially roads.
However, the workers pleaded with the contractor to increase their salaries.
For instance, casuals who earn Sh498 per day want their wages increased to Sh700 per day while those operating earthmovers want their pay doubled from the current Sh1,000 to Sh2,000.
“We have been promised several times that our salaries will be reviewed upwards but it has never come to be. They are still paying us with the 2013 rates and it’s our plea that they increase the payments,” driver Paul Njoroge said.
