President William Ruto on Sunday announced that construction work on the stalled Itare dam will soon begin.
Speaking during a thanksgiving service in Molo in Nakuru county, the President said his government had recovered the Sh15 billion which was meant for the dam that was lost during the handshake period.
Construction works on the dam located in Kuresoi stopped in September 2018 following reports of massive corruption and abandonment.
The Italian-funded dam is expected to benefit the people of Molo, Eleburgon, Rongai and the populous Nakuru town.
Ruto said his meeting with the Italian President who is the financier of the project reached an agreement that the project will proceed.
“At Itare, we had a good plan of bringing water to Molo, Njoro, Rongai and Nakuru town, but the devil came through the handshake and spoilt the plans,” Ruto said.
The dam had been scheduled for completion in April 2021 but suffered further distress when the contracted Italian firm Cooperative Muratoi Cementisti Di Ravenna filed for bankruptcy in its home country.
But Ruto has said the project will now be re-launched to ensure residents in the respective areas get water supply as had been anticipated.
“I want to announce that I met with the Italian President who is the financier. We have agreed with them, I sent ministers two weeks ago and we have agreed we will come back to finish the Itare dam,” he said.
The President added:
“They have agreed that close to Sh15 billion that was lost, we have got it and we are going to complete Itare dam to supply water in Kuresoi, Elburgon, Molo all the way to Rongai and Nakuru town because it is a big dam.”
Ruto hosted Italian President Sergio Mattarella at the State House in March for talks aimed at strengthening cooperation between the two countries.
The project faced many challenges, including compensation of landowners, alleged flawed procurement processes and numerous court cases.
The dam is expected to supply 100 million litres of water a day and will provide clean drinking water to about 800,000 residents of Nakuru County.
