This archive report was first published on 25 June 2020.
Published on June 25, 2020, Water Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki has announced plans to recruit an additional 400 workers to accelerate the construction of the Thwake Multi-purpose Dam.
According to CS Kariuki, the project has made significant progress, with 37 percent of construction works completed against an expected completion rate of 42 percent.
The additional workforce will ensure the project stays on course, with the CS noting that the government protocols on the fight against COVID-19 will be followed at the site to ensure safety for both workers and the surrounding community.
“Currently we have about 800 workers and the additional 400 will step up the works and ensure the 5 percent that is lacking behind will be completed on time,” said Kariuki.
During her tour of the site at the confluence of rivers Athi and Thwake in Makueni and Kitui counties, CS Kariuki also addressed concerns over compensation for affected households, stating that only 25 households are yet to be compensated due to family disputes.
The CS assured that compensation will be executed once the issues are resolved, with funds already disbursed to the National Land Commission pending resolutions of the cases.
Furthermore, CS Kariuki emphasized the government's commitment to cleaning Nairobi River and its tributaries, working closely with the Ministry of Environment to clean the river all the way to its source at Ondiri Dam in Kikuyu, Kiambu County.
Once completed, the dam will provide water to more than 1.3 million people, control flooding downstream in the coastal region, generate electricity, and provide water to irrigate 40,000 hectares of land.
