It is a reprieve for residents of drought-stricken Karambari Village in Muminji Ward, Mbeere North Constituency, Embu, following the construction of a 20,000-cubic-meter-capacity earth dam by the County Government.
The dam being built at a cost of Sh 12 million shillings is set to be completed in mid-October and poised to provide domestic and irrigation water to over 900 households and about 4, 000 domestic animals.
Mbeere North and South Constituencies have been classified as ASAL areas where drought is a recurrent hazard and access to clean water is very low.
County Chief Officer in charge of Agriculture Njeru Mwita said excavation work was complete and the remaining bit was to fence off the dam and install taps for drawing water and drinking troughs for animals.
Speaking on Friday when he visited the site to assess the ongoing works, Mwita said they are also putting up an ablution block and opening up an access road to the dam for easy access by vehicles and animal-drawn carts.
Residents are upbeat that the dam will alleviate sufferings, as they have for years been forced to trek long distances in search of water for their daily use.
“We are happy that decades of long treks in search of water will soon come to an end,” said resident Eunice Njoki.
Project Implementation Committee Chair Edward Nyaga said the nearest water source has been the Thura River, approximately 10 km away, and the dam construction comes as a major reprieve to the locals.
By Samuel Waititu
