Nairobi: Water impounding into Thwake Multipurpose Dam will begin during the April-June 2026 rainy season, marking a major milestone in the flagship project under Kenya’s Vision 2030, Water Secretary Engineer Samuel Alima has disclosed. Alima said this during an inspection tour of the project. He revealed the construction of the dam that is expected to benefit over 1.3 million residents in the Lower Eastern Region is 94.2 percent complete.
According to Kenya News Agency, the multi-purpose dam is located at the confluence of Athi and Thwake Rivers that borders Makueni and Kitui counties. While inspecting the dam on Thursday, Engineer Alima directed the contractor China Gezhouba Group Company Limited (CGGC) to import the critical hydromechanical equipment while urging them to accelerate preparations and emphasized the need for a realistic work plan to complete the project.
‘The contractor must start placing the concrete slab and resolve all pending no-conformity reports, including health, safety, and environmental issues within two weeks,’ said Engineer Alima while addressing the representatives of the contractor Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation (SMEC) Consultant and the implementation team.
Thwake Multipurpose Dam is funded jointly by the Government of Kenya and the African Development Bank (AfDB) and it is a cornerstone of the Bottom-Up Economic transformation Agenda (BETA). Phase 1 comprises the construction of an 80.5-meter-high wall embankment.
Also, the dam is designed to end water scarcity, boost food security by irrigating 100,000 acres of farmland besides generating electricity, and spur socio-economic growth in the area. Upon completion, the dam will deliver 150,000 cubic meters of clean water daily for domestic, livestock, and industrial use, including supplying Konza Technopolis City. This aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 6, advancing Kenya’s ambition for universal water access by 2030.
This move from rain-fed agriculture will enhance food security, reduce poverty, and support the AfDB’s ‘Feed Africa’ initiative, fostering agribusiness and improving livelihoods in a region plagued by drought. Additionally, the dam will generate 20 MW of hydropower, contributing to Kenya’s renewable energy goals and powering irrigation systems and industrial activities. This supports the AfDB’s ‘Light Up and Power Africa’ priority and promotes economic diversification.
The project is also expected to create 8,000 jobs, particularly for youth and women, in construction and agribusiness, while regulating Athi River flows to mitigate floods and droughts. As the embankment awaits concrete slabbing, the Thwake Dam stands as a beacon of hope for Lower Eastern Kenya. By addressing critical challenges like water scarcity and food insecurity while driving economic growth, this transformative project underscores Kenya’s commitment to sustainable development and resilience.