The government has kicked off the compensation exercise of Project Affected Persons (PAP) for the Mwache dam project following the release of Sh500 million by the National Treasury.
The construction that stalled in July was disrupted by compensation and livelihood restoration demands by the local community in Kinango constituency, Kwale County.
Irrigation Principal Secretary Ephantus Kiomotho said that Sh500 million was released to compensate the first batch, except for a few who don’t have proper documents, with the local leaders promising to help and resolve the conflict.
Kiomotho announced that the Treasury and Ministry of Irrigation will release another Sh500 million next week, and the National Land Commission will award awards for Mwavumbo and Bofu areas.
He noted that the compensation amounts to Sh.4.4 billion, with the government having already paid Sh1.6 billion for priority area one.
Furthermore, the plan, which is estimated to cost Sh2.8 billion, has been developed in collaboration with local leaders to ensure compensation for affected individuals.
In January 2025, another Sh538 million will be released, which will go towards completing the whole area of the lower check dam.
“The other balance of Sh1.3 million will be released in the year 2025/2026,” he added.
The PS said that the project has a little bit of uniqueness as there will be a component of livelihood whereby the government will restore the livelihood of the project affected persons to where they were before they were relocated.
Moreover, the government has negotiated with the World Bank, which is the financier of the project, and they have agreed to set aside Sh1.9 billion, with Sh500 million going to community projects with the involvement of respective elders.
He added that for the balance of Sh1.4 billion, they have already engaged a consultant who has started work, and in three months he will come with a detailed programme to tell on how the respective parts will benefit.
Unfortunately, the PS said that three schools in the area will also be affected for a very short period of time, with few adjustments and renovations made once relocated.
“The Mwache dam project is in Kwale County, but the neighbouring counties of Mombasa and Kilifi will also benefit. There is a project called Kwale Urban, which is going to generate 9,000 cubic litres in the county and another 1000 acres of irrigation,” he said.
Mombasa County will get 186,000 cubic litres of water per day, and as a result, they will no longer need water in Kilifi.
Hence, Kimotho assured locals that every one of them, who has been affected will be fairly compensated, as a lawyer and a surveyor have worked on the project for three years and adjudication of the land and issues of succession have been tackled.
Kinango Member of Parliament Gonzi Rai said that residents of Kinango had stopped work, demanding compensation, but added that once he took the issue to the assembly, the commission, ministry, and the Treasury agreed to sort out the challenge in due course.
Rai said that the only problem holding back the construction of the dam is a dispute between the contractor and employees, who are demanding salary for July, when the project had been stopped.
The Mwache dam, located in Kwale County, requires Sh4.4 billion for land acquisition, impacting 4,000 Project Affected Persons, after the construction commenced in March 2023, with the completion said to be by December 2027.
By Chari Suche
