The Kenyan government and the World Bank have begun constructing an Sh20 billion dam project in Kwale.
According to the Ministry of Water, Sanitation, and Irrigation, when completed, the 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 project was supposed to start in November 2021, however, it was delayed due to land conflicts and compensation concerns.
According to President William Ruto, the dam would provide 186,000 cubic meters of water daily to Kwale and Mombasa counties. “The dam will be crucial in enhancing water security, especially in times of drought and water scarcity,” the president disclosed.
The dam, which is located on the Mwache River in Kwale County, is expected to be finished by August 2026 and will be an important component of Kenya's national water infrastructure.
Mwache Dam is an 87.5-meter-tall concrete gravity dyke that holds 118 million cubic meters of water for agriculture and water delivery. It is projected to improve the water supply in Kwale, Kilifi, and Mombasa counties.
The initiative, according to the president, is an essential component of Kenya's Vision 2030 and the Kenya Kwanza Manifesto, which emphasize the importance of water security and sanitation in the country's development plan.
The Coast region has a population of 4.329 million as per the 2019 census and it covers 83,040 km2.
Water supply from all water sources averaged 230,584m3 per day, compared to 439,198m3 per day demand.
Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome commented on the Water, Irrigation, and Sanitation project, saying that it will boost agriculture, assist industrial growth, and improve the general quality of life for our people in the region.
According to the Ministry of Water, Sanitation, and Irrigation, the creation of 100 dams throughout the country is a priority to solve water security, climate resilience, food security, and socioeconomic growth.