This archive report was first published on 18 September 2019.
On Wednesday, President Uhuru Kenyatta made a significant decision regarding the Kimwarer Dam project, cancelling its construction after a technical committee found it to be technically and financially not feasible.
The committee, led by Principal Secretary for Infrastructure Prof Paul Maringa, conducted a thorough investigation and discovered that the Ksh 22.2 billion Kimwarer Dam was overpriced.
According to the report, no current reliable feasibility study had been conducted on the dam project, and a similar study carried out 28 years ago revealed a geological fault across the 800-acre project area, which would have negative structural effects on the proposed dam.
The committee also noted that the project area is settled and would require compensation for displaced residents.
However, the President ordered the commencement of the construction of Arror Multipurpose dam, which the committee found to be economically viable, albeit overpriced.
The committee recommended a cost rationalisation plan to ensure the project's implementation is cost-effective without affecting its performance and output.
Additionally, the committee suggested scaling down the height of Arror dam from 96 metres to 60 metres, which would reduce the required land area from 800 acres to 250 acres and lower the estimated cost from Ksh 28.3 billion to Ksh 15.4 billion with power or Ksh 13.1 billion without power.
