World Bank to fund construction of Sh17bn Kwale dam

Environment, Water and Natural Resources secretary Judi Wakhungu. FILE

By MATHIAS RINGA
    
The World Bank will fund the construction of the Sh17 billion Mwache Multipurpose Dam in Kwale county, which is expected to address water shortages in Mombasa.

Environment, Water and Natural Resources secretary Judi Wakhungu said the project will kick off in July and be completed in three years.

“The national government has secured a funding of $200 million (Sh17 billion) from the World Bank for the implementation of the Mwache dam project in July,” said Ms Wakhungu.

World Bank water resources programme manager Gustavo Saltiel said the the institution’s board was expected to approve the loan in June.

The two were speaking at the Serena Beach Resort in Mombasa during a workshop on water reforms and services that was attended by Mombasa and Kwale county leaders and World Bank officials.

The project involves the construction of a 77 metre high dam with a reservoir capacity of 133 million cubic metres.

When completed, the dam is expected to produce 186,000 cubic metres of water a day, which will be supplied to Mombasa and Kwale consumers.

Apart from water provision, the dam is also expected to generate 34 megawatts of power and help put at least 2,600 hectares of land under irrigation.

Mombasa County gets only 48 million litres of water a day from Kwale, Kilifi and Taita Taveta counties against its demand of 186 million litres.

The county’s water is salty because of its location along the Indian Ocean.

“Although we expect water supply to improve when the project is completed, there is need for the government to improve the water infrastructure and sewerage facilities,” Mombasa deputy governor Hazel Katana added.

The project is being implemented by the Coast Development Authority on Mwache River, which spans Kasemeni and Wavumbo locations, approximately 22km west of Mombasa.