The National Land Commission (NLC), in partnership with the Ministry of Water, Sanitation, and Irrigation, SMEC Consultants, and local leaders, convened a consultative meeting at the Thwake Dam project site to assess the ongoing Thwake Multipurpose Water Development Program. The meeting, attended by Cabinet Secretary for Water, Sanitation, and Irrigation Eng. Eric Mugaa and Principal Secretary Julius Korir, underscored significant strides toward completing the transformative project.
Cabinet Secretary Eng. Eric Mugaa praised stakeholders for their dedication, noting a marked improvement from past discussions that focused on unresolved challenges. “We are now seeing significant progress,” Mugaa said, emphasizing the need to prepare for the upcoming long rains to begin impounding water in the dam. He expressed confidence in the government’s commitment to completing the project within its current term and urged all parties to intensify efforts over the next two months. Mugaa highlighted that the pace of NLC’s operations, particularly in land-related processes, will be critical to meeting the project’s timeline.
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Principal Secretary Julius Korir reported that the dam’s construction is 94.2% complete, with only the final concrete phase remaining. He expressed optimism that the NLC would soon issue a completion certificate, paving the way for the dam’s handover to the government and the return of unutilized land to rightful owners. “This milestone brings us closer to delivering the benefits of this project to the people,” Korir said.
In a separate session, the NLC team, led by Mr. Sospeter Ohanya, Head of Survey Services, met with local chiefs and sub-chiefs to plan a public sensitization campaign. The initiative aims to inform Project Affected Persons (PAPs) about the upcoming land demarcation and survey process, ensuring transparency and community involvement.
The Thwake Multipurpose Water Development Program is a flagship project aimed at enhancing water supply, irrigation, and power generation in the region. With collaboration between the Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development, the Ministry of Water, Sanitation, and Irrigation, and the County Government of Makueni, the project is poised to deliver significant socio-economic benefits to local communities.
