Karimenu2 Dam, one of the government’s major flagship projects in Gatundu North Sub County, will be completed by the end of March, Water and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary (CS) Sicily Kariuki has said.
The CS said the project is 80% complete adding that only piping and acquisition of land where water will be pounded was remaining.
Speaking when she made a tour at the project Thursday, the CS said Sh1.2 billion was needed for acquisition of 350 acres of land which she assured that her Cabinet colleagues would help in availing.
She added that the National Lands Commission was also expected to compensate for the land as quickly as possible to allow for piping and channeling of the water.
“By end of March this year, and on the assumption that the Sh1.2 billion for the acquisition of land for pounding water is available immediately, the project should be complete. I will mobilise Cabinet colleagues to ensure the funds are availed and compensation done to the affected persons to avert a scenario of having the project stall. We are also working closely with the National Land Commission to unlock the delay in acquisition of wayleaves to facilitate pipe laying and outstanding works at the reservoir,” she said.
So far, seven key milestones have been achieved in project construction including ground breaking, tunnel breakthrough, completion of tunnel secondary lining, river diversion, substantial completion of dam foundation treatment works and pipe laying works.
Other works ongoing include the construction of a water treatment plant, laying of 67 km of raw and treated water transmission pipelines and construction of two concrete water storage tanks in Ruiru and Juja each with a capacity of 23.5 million litres and 5 million litres respectively.
She said the dam would generate 70 million litres of water per day and was expected to address water shortages in Ruiru, Thika, Gatundu, Juja Sub counties as well as various parts of Nairobi.
The CS was accompanied by Athi Water Works Development Agency (AWWDA) CEO Eng. Michael M. Thuita, Area Deputy County Commissioner and team, Karimenu2 project team among other senior government officials.
The 59m deep multi-billion project which was started in 2018 and derailed due to succession and land compensation challenges is being implemented by AWWDA.
By Muoki Charles
