Construction of stalled Itare, Arror dams resumes next year, Water CS says

The construction of the stalled Itare and Arror dams in Nakuru and Elgeyo-Marakwet counties will resume early next year, the government has announced.

However, Water Cabinet Secretary Eric Mugaa on Friday revealed that progress on the Kimwarer dam will face further delays due to unresolved technical issues.

In January this year, President William Ruto announced plans to revive the controversial Sh63 billion Arror and Kimwarer multipurpose dam projects.

Initially launched during former president Uhuru Kenyatta's era, massive corruption scandals marred the projects leading to their stalling.

The courts acquitted former Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich who had been charged over the dams’ scandal, with the trial magistrate accusing the prosecution of bungling the case.

President Ruto included these two projects in his 2022 campaign pledges.

At the same time, the Water CS pointed out that construction of the long-awaited Bosto dam in Bomet County will finally begin after the government secured funding from the Chinese government, marking the end of a decade-long delay.

"The Bosto dam project, located in the Mau Forest, was initially expected to cost Sh22 billion, with Sh2 billion already spent on feasibility studies before it encountered implementation challenges," Mugaa explained.

He added that a concessional loan from China's Exim Bank has been secured, and a memorandum of understanding is ready for signing to kickstart the project.

Meanwhile, the Itare dam project, valued at Sh38 billion, had stalled due to a dispute with its contractor, CMC Di Ravenna, who took the government to an international court over payment issues.

The project had already received Sh11 billion in payments, but the contractor was declared bankrupt in 2019.

"We have settled on the contractor, the case has been withdrawn, and we have agreed on the modalities of the outstanding balance of work and costing," Water Principal Secretary Julius Korir said.

In addition to these projects, Mugaa announced renewed efforts to revive the stalled Sh26 million Olopito dam irrigation project in Narok County.