Kenya, July 19 -- A new report has revealed that President William Ruto's ambitious 1,000-dam pledge, a cornerstone of his 2022 campaign to boost irrigation and food security, has seen no completions three years into his term.
Water, Sanitation, and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Eric Murithi Mugaa, addressing the Senate on July 16, cited chronic underfunding and low investor interest as primary reasons for the stalled projects.
The revelation has sparked criticism, with Kenyans questioning the feasibility of the Kenya Kwanza administration's water infrastructure goals.
Announced during the 2022 election campaign, Ruto's pledge aimed to construct 100 mega dams and 1,000 small dams to irrigate three million acres, reducing reliance on rain-fed agriculture.
The initiative promised to enhance food security, provide clean water to six million households, and generate hydropower.
However, Mugaa admitted that projects like Faui, Umma, Thuci, and Thambana dams remain incomplete, hampered by bureaucratic delays, high financing costs, and challenges in securing Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).
"Water tariffs are not cost-recovery, making the sector unattractive to investors," Mugaa told Senators, highlighting the financial hurdles.
Posts reflect public frustration, with some accusing the administration of overpromising. In 2023, the government invited bids for 34 dams under a Sh1.7 trillion PPP model, offering land incentives to attract investors.
Despite this, projects like the Koru-Soin dam, valued at Sh19.8 billion, and the Sh63 billion Arror and Kimwarer dams remain stalled, with the latter revived after a controversial cancellation in 2019 due to corruption allegations.
Mugaa noted that feasibility studies are ongoing, and a Cabinet Memorandum is being prepared to address policy bottlenecks.
For instance, the Thuci Dam, designed to store 23 million cubic meters of water and generate 5 megawatts, is entangled in PPP complexities, while the Thambana Dam faces procurement setbacks after a rejected proposal.
The government is also working to strengthen Irrigation Water Users Associations to support community-led irrigation, but funding shortages persist.
In 2023, then-CS Alice Wahome outlined plans to finance 100 mega dams, with 40% of the Sh995 billion budget from concessional loans and 31% from PPPs, yet investor hesitancy remains a barrier.
Public reflects disappointment, with users like @sholard_mancitynoting Ruto's focus on symbolic gestures, such as cleaning a 10-meter stretch of Nairobi River, while major pledges falter.
Supporters argue that projects like the Mwache Dam in Kwale, set for completion in 2026, show progress, but critics counter that these predate Ruto's term.
Google Trends shows rising searches for "Ruto 1,000-dam pledge status" and "Kenya water project delays," indicating public interest in accountability; however, none have been completed..
As Kenya grapples with food insecurity and climate challenges, the stalled dams underscore the difficulties of financing large-scale infrastructure.
Mugaa has appealed for parliamentary support to secure funding, emphasising the need for innovative financing models.
Whether the administration can overcome investor reluctance and deliver on its irrigation promises remains uncertain, but the current trajectory suggests a long road ahead for Ruto's vision of a water-secure Kenya.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Bana Kenya.