Kwale Governor Fatuma Achani launched Shauri Moyo multipurpose dam project in Silaloni area in Samburu Sub County at a cost of Sh45.7 million as part of water security investment.
Governor Achani said the Shauri Moyo mega dam project has a storage capacity of 151,000 cubic metres (151million litres of water) and was expected to serve Silaloni location and its environs.
She said the new multimillion shillings’ water project was among other dam projects that the Kwale County government is investing in to solve the water scarcity problem facing area residents.
Other ongoing dam projects are the Sh20 billion Mwache multipurpose dam and the Sh1.6 billion Makamini dam. The Sh15 million Nyalani Dam was recently completed benefiting 22,000 residents in Kinango Sub County.
She reiterated her administration’s commitment to addressing the challenges in water shortage experienced by the people of Kwale over decades.
“The dam whose construction we are launching today will ensure adequate water supply throughout the year,” she said.
She said the project would particularly contribute to improving the living conditions of the communities in the project area and that the event was significant as it further demonstrated her administration’s abiding commitment to improving general access to potable water supply in every corner of the county.
The county boss says the current drought affecting most parts of Kwale has further worsened an already bad situation where many do not have access to safe and adequate clean water.
Achani who chairs the County Drought Response Coordination Committee says at least 200,000 people spread in Kinango, Shimba Hills, Samburu and Lunga Lunga sub counties are in urgent need of relief food and water supplies.
The Governor said the county is already putting up measures to mitigate the effects of the drought through construction of water dams, expansion and rehabilitation of boreholes across the region.
Governor Achani reiterated that water is a key component in her administration in a bid to ensure adequate water supply for human and livestock.
“I know drought has been a menace in Samburu Sub County being a vast and semi-arid area. My leadership will make sure those areas affected by the water problem will have dams constructed to bring the water problem to an end,” she said.
Achani noted that the devolved government intends to build at least one large-scale dam in each of the six sub counties to irrigate massive hectares of land for agricultural purposes.
She said her administration is committed to improving the livelihoods of those living in arid and semi-arid parts of the coastal county, through construction of dams that will supply reliable water for domestic use and for irrigation.
“Access to safe, affordable and reliable water services is a basic right towards sustaining healthy livelihoods and maintaining the people’s dignity,” she said.
Achani noted that the water project was expected to be completed in the next four months and provide Silaloni and its environs with water for irrigation as well as to store water for use during the drought seasons.
She said the devolved unit has put in place necessary mechanisms for promoting irrigation farming to enhance food security in the county and help smallholder farmers grow their incomes.
Achani stated that her administration has embarked on massive restoration and expansion of existing water projects to address critical water supply services to households in the region.
By Hussein Abdullahi
