[PHOTOS] Ruto launches Sh18bn Mwache dam project

President William Ruto on Thursday launched the long-awaited Sh25 billion Mwache Multipurpose Dam project in Kwale County.

The project has been delayed for five years due to land disputes and compensation concerns, causing anxiety among residents.

The contractor, Sino Hydro Corporation and Engineering of China, signed the deal in 2018.

President Ruto revealed that upon its completion in 2026, the project will diminish reliance on rain-fed agriculture and sustainably provide water to irrigate at least 7,000 acres of land.

"This will produce Sh1.3 Billion worth of food a year and offer jobs to thousands of our youth struggling to earn a living," he said

Ruto noted that the Sh18 Billion project financed by the Government of Kenya and the World Bank will supply more than 230 Million litres of water a day for both irrigation and domestic use, benefiting at least 1.6 Million people in Kwale and Mombasa Counties

It will provide an additional 186,000M3/day of domestic water and 45,000M3/day for irrigation to Mombasa and Kwale counties as well as provide water to irrigate 6,250 acres in Kwale County with a potential gross production value of Sh1.3 billion annually.