Makueni county is building 84 earth dams to harvest rainwater for irrigation and domestic use to end perennial water shortage and hunger.
Construction of more than 50 of the water reservoirs is complete and the rest will be done soon. Dams built during colonial times that silted because of neglect are being de-silted. The county is also sinking boreholes to reduce the adverse effects of droughts, hence helping residents to get water easily.
Some dams already support irrigation. The dams are projected to benefit between 1,000 and 5,000 residents each, depending on size. The county is building water treatment plants to supply residents with clean water.
Governor Kivutha Kibwana on Thursday reiterated his administration’s commitment to eradicate poverty, end reliance on relief food and ensure delivery of high-quality health services. “We are committed to delivering our people from extreme hunger, poverty, disease and unemployment,” he said.
The projects are some of the development initiatives outlined in the county’s development blueprint. The county’s Water and Irrigation department is implementing the projects in subcounties.
The county has also built a Sh50 million fruit-processing plant in Kalamba, Makueni subcounty, using locally produced fruits to ensure farmers benefit from value addition. Kibwana said the county is building a Sh50 million Vocational Training Centre for people living with disability and has hired 900 ECDE teachers.