Ruto struggles to deliver on dam projects nearly three years on

A section of Itare Dam site in Kuresoi North on January 28, 2021. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard] Kenya Kwanza's ambitious plan to construct dams across the country is in limbo, with the government now grappling with a financial shortfall. President William Ruto's administration had pledged to revive stalled dam projects and build new ones to enhance food production and water supply nationwide. During the 2022 campaigns, Ruto promised to construct 100 mega dams, 1,000 smaller ones, and over 3,800 water pans across the country. He specifically pledged to revive the stalled Arror and Kimwarer projects worth Sh63 billion, as well as the Sh38 billion Itare Dam. In November 2022, President Ruto assured Kenyans that the Arror and Kimwarer dams would be completed within his tenure. He also vowed to restart the Itare project within his first 100 days in office. In March 2023, Ruto announced the resumption of the three major dam projects after holding talks with visiting Italian President Sergio Mattarella. The two leaders promised to resolve the issues surrounding the projects, describing their restart as urgent and necessary. The President said the existing financing arrangements would be restructured and that legal issues were to be settled within a month to pave the way for construction. In January 2024, Ruto reiterated his commitment to completing the Arror and Kimwarer multipurpose dams. In May 2024, Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura announced that the construction of the Itare Dam would resume after the government allocated new funds to the project. He revealed that reviving the project would cost taxpayers an additional Sh5 billion. The dam, launched in 2016, was initially budgeted at Sh35 billion. Last month, Water and Sanitation Principal Secretary Julius Korir said all issues surrounding the Itare project had been resolved, clearing the way for the resumption of works. "The government has resolved the Itare Dam puzzle, and construction will resume soon," Korir said. However, nearly three years into Ruto's presidency, none of the promised dams have been completed. Speaking in Nakuru during a development tour, the President lamented the slow progress of major water projects such as Itare, noting that at least 55 other dam projects have stalled due to inadequate funding. He urged support for the proposed National Infrastructure Fund, which aims to mobilise domestic resources to finance stalled and new development projects. "We cannot continue waiting for others to fund our projects. That is why we must establish the National Infrastructure Fund to ensure we complete these projects and deliver services to our people," said Ruto. Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Eric Mugaa, appearing before the Senate in July, confirmed that the government's plan to construct 1,000 dams had stalled, with none completed so far. Mugaa explained that water infrastructure projects are capital-intensive and most were to be implemented under public-private partnerships (PPPs). However, investor interest has been low, as water tariffs are not cost-recovery, making the ventures commercially unattractive. "We have some ongoing projects, but several are suffering from financial challenges. For large dams, we have not completed any," he said, adding that the expected uptake of PPPs in the water sector has been slower than anticipated.

Ruto struggles to deliver on dam projects nearly three years on

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