Construction of Construction of Mwache Dam in Kenya begins

Kenya’s president William Ruto laid foundation stone to mark the start of construction of Mwache Dam.

The Mwache multi-purpose dam development project which is located on the Mwache River in Kwale County is a priority investment by the Government as a flagship project of Vision 2030.

Construction was originally scheduled to begin in 2018, but has been postponed several times due to land disputes and compensation issues. The last deadline for the project’s launch in Kwale County was February 2022. The construction of the Mwache water reservoir is therefore more than five years late.

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Scope of work

The work is being carried out by Sinohydro Corporation and Engineering of China at a cost of Sh20bn which is being is financially supported by the World Bank and the government of Kenya. The dam structure will cover an area of 250,000 hectares, with a 87.5 m high concrete gravity dam. The dam lake that will be formed is expected to hold 118 million m3 of water. The dammed water will be pumped to irrigate 2,600 hectares of land in Kwale County.

Upon completion slated for 2026, Mwache Multipurpose Dam project would reduce water demand in the Coast area by 54.7%. The dam would offer drinking water to over one million people in the counties of Mombasa, Kwale, and Kilifi and assist agricultural activity in the surrounding areas.

“The dam will be crucial in enhancing water security, especially in times of drought and water scarcity,” said the Head of State.