Water CS Eugine Wamalwa at a past presser. [Photo: nation.co.ke]The Water Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa has said the construction of Thwake Multipurpose Dam in Ukambani region will kick off in January next year. The dam to be constructed in Kitui county will cost Sh42 billion.While speaking at Maji House during the signing of the Thwake Dam contract with Gezhouba Group of Company from China, Wamalwa said the dam will benefit 1.3 million people from Konza City, Wote and Kibwezi."The legal issues surrounding construction of the dam have been resolved and the government has compensated a total of Sh3.5 billion. About 90 per cent of the payment has been paid," Wamalwa said as reported by the Star. The CS also pointed out that the dam will be the largest in East Africa and will provide 134 million litres of water daily."We will also develop a sewerage system to cover Wote and Kibwezi areas. We also want to increase the area under irrigation to 100,000 acres to avert the drought situations prevalent in some parts of Eastern," he added. The project according to the CS, should begin within the next 90 days.Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu noted that labour will be sourcedfrom the three Ukambani counties."Some 80 per cent of the labour force will be sourced from locals and the three counties – Kitui, Machakos and Makueni – will form a committee to monitor the project," Ngilu said.

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