President Uhuru Kenyatta launching the project on November 23, 2017. [Photo/PSCU]
President Uhuru Kenyatta has commissioned the construction of Thiba Dam in Kirinyaga County.
The president was accompanied by his deputy William Ruto, Water Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa and area Governor Ann Waiguru to the launch of the project on Thursday.
The construction of the Sh19 billion dam has finally kicked off after delays over technical and legal issues for over 3 years.
CS Wamalwa says the project which will take three and a half years to complete is expected to reduce the dependency on rain-fed rice production at the Mwea Irrigation Scheme.
The announcement by the government on the construction of Thiba Dam in Kirinyaga County came as a relief to many rice farmers in the region, who saw it as the answer to the water shortage problems at the Mwea Irrigation Scheme.
Conflict among local leaders, legal challenges, and issues pertaining compensation of the over 600 landowners affected by the project would, however, derail the project for over 3 years.
In 2015 for instance, the Kerugoya High Court barred the National Irrigation Board from starting the project after landowners went to court challenging their eviction.
Water and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa said the project will involve the construction of a water reservoir which will be enough to facilitate the growth of rice twice a year thereby doubling production from 80,000 metric tonnes to 160,000 metric tons.