State to roll out Sh100bn projects to ease water shortage

Mega water projects will be launched in arid counties to the tune of more than Sh100 billion in a bid to alleviate perennial shortages.

According to Deputy President William Ruto, the government is setting up two dams in Arror and Perkerra in Elgeyo-Marakwet and Baringo counties respectively.

He said the government had already entered into a partnership with the Italian government for Kirandich dam in Baringo County to be completed at a cost of Sh2 billion.

Another Sh400 million, he said, will be used to build a sewage disposal system in Kabarnet Town and part of the money will be used to compensate residents who will be displaced to give room for construction.

Kabarnet Town, Baringo County headquarters, lacks a sewer line and currently depends on open lagoons at Baringo County Referral Hospital.

He said Sh1.3 billion has been used to drill boreholes in the region adding that the plan had seen land under irrigation in the county increase from 29,000 to 35,000 acres.

Mr Ruto, who concluded his tour of North Rift on Sunday with a funds drive in aid of 18 churches at Kaplelmet Primary School in Nandi Hills sub-county, said the government is also spending Sh4 billion to supply piped water to Nandi County residents.

Nandi MCAs have in the past two years allocated more than Sh700 million for the distribution of water in its wards.

Reports show the country currently has 124 million cubic litres of water against the required 3.5 billion.

Some of the counties to benefit include: Baringo, Turkana, West Pokot, Lamu, Wajir, Kajiado, Samburu and Narok.

A Sh6.5 billion grant by the World Bank will go towards the regional Pastoral Livelihoods Resilience Project.

“The project will be implemented in five years and will cover 14 counties in arid and semi-arid areas,” Water Principal Secretary Fred Segor, who accompanied the Mr Ruto, said.

Reported by Wycliff Kipsang, Tom Matoke and Florah Koech