Sh28m dam project changes lives in dry part of Kitui

Mathima area in Mutomo, Kitui County, is characterised by scorching sun and perennial lack of water.

However, fortunes for the local residents are changing for the better following the construction of Kwa Ndaki dam which has a capacity of 150 million litres of water when full.

Constructed at a cost of Sh28 million by the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) with the majority funding from the European Union (EU), the dam has become a major lifeline for the residents, some of whom have ventured into small scale irrigation farming.

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As you maneuver your way to the dam, a cool breeze soothingly hits your body, quite a departure from the sun-baked Mutomo town about 15 kilometres away.

The lush green vegetation cover from the nearby farms heavy with kales, tomatoes and onions is a testament that miracles have happened in this desolate locality.

“We never imagined having a water source near our homes. We were used to waking up at 2am and walk for 20kms in search of the commodity…we thank God,” says Charity Joseph from the nearby Makutano village while filling up her four jericans at a designated water kiosk.

For every jerrycan, the residents have to part with a paltry Sh1 and consumers can draw water as many times as they wish. 

The project is designed with a powerful solar system to pump water from the dam to massive water tanks. 

There is also a treatment plant where the water is purified before being released to the water kiosk. In addition there are designated water troughs for livestock.

“Nowadays I can sleep all I want because I am assured of water at whatever time I arrive. It takes me only five minutes,” says Joseph. She adds that in the past, school going children would spend hours helping their parents search for the valuable commodity, saying that early pregnancies among teenage girls was the order of the day.

Shadrack Mbuvi, a trained teacher who is yet to be employed, has taken advantage of availability of the water nearby to engage in agribusiness.

At his one acre farm next to the dam, Mbuvi has a ready to harvest onion crop. I another section, more of this is still growing.

“In total I am expecting six tonnes of onions. It has a ready market,” says the 26-year-old teacher. With a kilo going for between Sh70–Sh80, Mbuvi is looking at a tidy sum.

“I am urging the youth to be innovative, we do not have to look for white collar jobs which are hard to come by nowadays. We can create our own income,” he advises.

Mbuvi says the dam has been a game changer particularly for him. In the past he used to farm Southwards at Kalambani along the banks of River Thua, some 45km away. This took a toll on him and ate into his profits, he says.

“I would require about five litres of fuel for my motorbike to visit the farm every day. Transporting the produce to the main centres was also a challenge,” he explains. Today, the farmer needs only a litre – about Sh100 – for his bike to visit the farm.

Another farmer is Alex Musyoki who grows kales. He says these are giving him good returns with minimal cost since the buyers come to his farm.

Francis Koma, the Kitui county drought coordinator at NDMA, who spearheaded the project, says the livelihood component is critical in improving people’s welfare.

“We are encouraging and supporting the locals to go into small scale irrigation farming, bee keeping and environmental conservation. The dam has enough water for human and livestock consumption and enough to create a stable food security base for the residents,” Koma says. He adds that the dam has reduced the distance for about 200 homesteads to barely a kilometre.

Last week, the project attracted the attention of Devolution CAS Abdul Bahari who toured the dam and encouraged the locals to venture into agribusiness and reduce dependency on relief food.

The CAS said the national government is willing to partner with the county government to improve livelihoods for farmers in dry areas. 

“You have seen how small efforts can change people’s lifestyles. You need to think of activities such as bee keeping, pasture growing and other income generating activities,” Bahari said.

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