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China-Africa Trade Information Service
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Since 2013, government agencies have signed or plan to sign contracts worth more than 700 billion shillings for the construction of dams. The construction of a water facility worth 700 billion shillings has been signed or is awaiting signing.
Water Cabinet Secretary Simon Chelugui said that his ministry is planning construction of 57 dams countrywide. "Some of the dams in the news are multi-year projects which take a lot of time from conception to construction. Feasibility studies are undertaken to determine the viability of the projects, followed by detailed design and design review.
"Most of the proposed 57 dams are still at the feasibility studies and detailed design stages," Mr Chelugui said.
Currently, the ministry is constructing five dams at a cost of Sh142.5 billion, in deals signed after 2013.The dams are Thwake (in Kitui/Makueni counties), at a cost of Sh37 billion; Siyoi Muruny (West Pokot County), at a cost of Sh5 billion; Itare (Nakuru County), worth Sh28 billion; the Sh1.2 billion dam For the regeneration of Sagana rivers in Nyeri County; and the Sh24 billion Karemenu in Kiambu County.
The Ministry of Water and Sanitation has also signed tenders for the construction of the Sh13 billion Mwache dam in Kwale County, Sh20 billion Bosto dam in Bomet County and Ruiru II dam in Kiambu County costing Sh17 billion.
The ministry will also spend billions of shillings for the construction of Kithino dam in Meru, Amaya dam in Baringo, Kabazi in Nakuru, Bute Dam in Wajir, Ndarugu dam in Kiambu, Londiani dam in Kericho, Soin Koru in Kisumu/Kericho, Malewa in Nyandaru and Crocodile Jaws in Isiolo County.
The controversial Arror and Kimwarer dams are being implemented by the Kerio Valley Development Authority at a cost of Sh38 billion and Sh28 billion respectively. Construction of the two dams is being undertaken by Italian firm CMC di Ravenna.
The National Irrigation Board (NIB) is in the process of constructing nine dams whose scope of work includes construction of dam, irrigation systems, domestic water supply units and hydropower components.
“Except for the Thiba Dam which is already in progress, the others are being financed through the EPCF model,” Engineer Charles Muasya, the head of design and planning of irrigation projects at the National Irrigation Board, said.
The dams being financed under the EPCF model are Radat, Lowaat, Thuci, Rwabura and Thirika, Gogo, Lower Subukia and Kyakivai and Kaiti Ngomano dams.
Thiba dam is expected to be completed in 2021, Gogo dam by 2013 or 2014 while the year 2022 is the completion date for Radat, Lowaat, Thuci, Rwabura and Thirika, Lower Subukia and Kyakivai and Kaiti Ngomano dams.
In Turkana County, the China Water and Electric Group Corp (CWE) was awarded a tender worth Sh18 billion for construction of Lowaaat dam that is set to expand the Lokubai and Delare Irrigation schemes by 25,000 acres.