State to rehabilitate historic kighombo, Mwatate dams

The government has started plans to rehabilitate the historic Kighombo dam and Mwatate earth dams in Taita Taveta county, Water and Sanitation Principal Secretary Dr Paul Rono has said.

The giant Kighombo dam at the foot of Mwambirwa hill, can hardly hold water after it developed huge cracks on its base, consequently leading to acute water shortage in the area.

The dam built in 1912 by the British East Africa Railways Corporation, is one of the oldest dams in Kenya.

Primarily, the dam was meant to provide water for steam locomotive engines and railway workers at the Voi Station.

Over the years, it has been the main source of water for domestic and irrigation in lowland areas of Mbololo, Voi, Ikanga, Mkwachunyi, Irima and Ndii.

Rono however said the government has prioritised rehabilitation of the dam to salvage hundreds of residents who depended on it for water.

“These are some of the projects that we are targeting to implement before the end of the financial year. The renovation of the dam will greatly improve water supply in the region,” the PS told journalists on Wednesday.

The rehabilitation work is estimated to cost more than Sh200 million.

According to water officials, the dam sitting on five acres at the border of Mwatate and Voi constituencies will have a capacity to hold approximately 140 million litres.

Further, Rono assured residents that the ministry is planning to implement at least four water projects which include dams and boreholes to solve severe water shortage.

“There are several water projects that we have discussed with the local leadership and will be implemented soon. Majorly, we want to decisively deal with water shortage in the county,” he added.

He said the state will build water pans inside the Tsavo National Park to reduce the perennial human-wildlife conflict in the region.

The PS was speaking at Governor Andrew Mwadime’s office during the commissioning of the newly formed Tavevo Water and Sewerage Company Non-Revenue Team.

In promoting the fight against non-revenue water, the PS inked a deal with the county government to help the devolved unit reduce water theft.

The Memorandum of Understanding, he said, seeks to reduce water loss costing the country in billions of shillings.

Rono noted that Kenya loses approximately Sh10 billion annually on non-revenue water while Taita Taveta county loses Sh19 million monthly.

The non-revenue team will work with the Critical Infrastructure Protection Unit to unearth people involved in water theft and vandalism.

“The team will help Taveta reduce losses thus getting additional money to implement new water projects and address the current water demand,” he said.

He said plans are underway for the launching of the multi-billion shilling Mzima II water project, assuring residents that the county will be prioritised in supply of water from the new pipeline.

The Mzima II project is expected to also supply water in Kwale, Kilifi and Mombasa counties.

The PS was accompanied by Woman Representative Lydia Haika and Voi MP Hamisi Chome among other county leaders.

Governor Mwadime lauded the government for supporting the fight against water theft through illegal water connections, leakages, meter tampering and destruction of water infrastructures.

He said the region is eagerly waiting for the implementation of the new Mzima water project that is expected to be launched later this year.

-Edited by SKanyara