The National Assembly Committee on Water, Blue Economy, Sanitation, and Irrigation has assured Nakuru County residents that construction of Itare Dam will resume soon to solve the water problems. Led by Marakwet East Member of Parliament David Kangogo Bowen, the committee visited the Itare Dam site in Kuresoi North to get a clear insight on the project, promising that the construction that has stalled at 11 per cent will resume in three to four months. ‘Our president engaged the Italian government on this project that they were funding, and we are glad that the project is set to resume. We are here to hear from the people on issues of way-leaves and land compensation that the government will take care of,’ noted Kangogo. An abandoned section of Itare Dam site, in Kureasoi North, Nakuru County. Photo by Anne Sabuni While appreciating the importance of the project to residents of Nakuru and its environs, the legislature noted that once the project commenced, no hitches were expected. ‘We are looking into ways of supporting the contractor. Through the supplementary budget, to seek out the compensation and way-leaves as the contractor works on the dam and main trunk,’ he noted, adding that the community will be supported to back up the conservation efforts to sustain the water flow. The contractor, Kangogo said, will work on the main trunk as the government works on reticulation through the last mile connectivity to homes and businesses around the county to satisfy the demand of 80, 000 cubic metres of water, with the surplus expected to reach Naivasha. Nakuru Deputy Governor David Kones told the Committee that the residents of Kuresoi, Molo, and Njoro sub-counties, as well as the city dwellers, would be relieved of their water problems if the project was completed on time. ‘We have been crying for a very long time to get this water. This will be a game changer for the economy of Nakuru County, which needs water for agriculture, industries, and schools as well as domestic use,’ said Kones, urging the residents to make prudent, sustainable use of the water. The project, estimated to cost the government Sh28 billion on completion, and was at 11 per cent complete in terms of civil works and 27 per cent complete overall before it stalled, with Italian firm CMC Di Ravenna expected to resume the works. Once completed, the Itare Dam will have the capacity to hold 27 million cubic metres of water and produce 100,000 cubic metres of water per day for Nakuru residents and beyond. It will benefit the residents of Kuresoi, North and South; Molo and Njoro Sub-counties; as well as Nakuru City and its environs. Nakuru leaders have continued to lobby for the construction of the Itare Dam water project to ease water problems in Nakuru County, with Governor Kihika also lobbying for the involvement of the locals in the construction as well as conservation efforts.

Source: Kenya News Agency