Residents of Mombasa are set to benefit from a Sh170 million water project funded by the national government.
According to Engineer Abdulrahim Kheri of Coast Water Works Development Agency, the project is set for completion in March this year and will increase supply of water to the proposed Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone Phase 1 by 3000 cubic metres per day and ultimately raise to 10,500 cubic metres per day.
The project being financed by the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation will also benefit the residents of Kwale and is expected to reduce frequent water shortages in the two coastal counties.
Speaking during the Mombasa County Heads of Departments and Parastatals meeting on Friday at Uhuru na Kazi Building, Kheri said the project whose construction work started in November 2019 is 85 percent complete.
“Scope of work includes construction of water distribution ferrous pipeline and its main source will be Tiwi boreholes, Marere and Mzima pipelines,” said Kheri during the meeting chaired by the Mombasa County Commissioner Gilbert Kitiyo.
The Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone project which was launched in 2019 is one of the flagship projects of Kenya’s Vision 2030 and upon completion is expected to develop Mombasa into a world class industrial hub and a gateway city for the entire Eastern and Central Africa.
The economic zone is a game changer and expected to boost the manufacturing sector, expand business opportunities in the region and create thousands of jobs.
The government secured a Sh82.7 billion loan from Japan for Special Economic Zone development and construction of a bridge that will provide alternative route to the Likoni Ferry.
The bridge will see a free movement of marine vessels that need to access Likoni Harbour as well as enhance traffic to the south coast and also boost trade between Kenya and Tanzania.
The Coast Water Works Development Agency is also undertaking construction of Changamwe Repooling Sewer Network at a cost of Sh204 million.
The project under the Kenya Towns Sustainable Water Supply and Sanitation Program will connect about 10,000 households and help to protect the environment.
Addressing the meeting, Kitiyo urged heads of departments to ensure all government projects under their supervision are completed without unnecessary delays.
Kitiyo acknowledged that the Covid-19 pandemic has slowed down completion of a number of projects and also adversely affected the tourism sector and other businesses.
By Mohamed Hassan
