The President tours Thiba Dam
His Excellency the President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Kenya Defense Forces, Hon. Uhuru Kenyatta, C.G.H, inspected ongoing works in Thiba Dam and Mwea Irrigation expansion area in Kirinyaga County on Monday, October 18, 2021. He was received by Water, Sanitation and Irrigation CS Sicily K. Kariuki (Mrs), E.G.H, Principal Secretary Joseph Irungu, the Authority’s Chairman Hon. Eng. Joshua Toro and CEO Gitonga Mugambi. The President was impressed with the progress of implementation works and promised residents to be back to witness impounding of Water upon completion of the dam.
Thiba dam has a target capacity of 15.6 Million cubic metres. It aims to stabilize water supply to the Mwea Irrigation Scheme and associated expanded areas (Kianugu, Kiamanyeki, Ndekia to command 25,000 acres) and to the Mutithi Expansion area (10,000 acres).
It will also supply irrigation water to 1,170 farmers neighbouring the Dam area in Kimbithe (120 acres), Rukenya (1,000 acres) and Komboini (50acres). This will increase direct jobs from 125,000 to 175,000.
Once the dam is completed, Farmers will practice double cropping to increase rice production from 114,000 MT to 200,000 MT thus increasing the value of rice from KES 10 Billion to KES 18 Billion and diversification to horticultural crops valued at KES 2.96 Billion per annum.
The dam implementation status is at 79 % against a time lapse of 81%, and is set to be completed by December 2021. Mutithi Expansion Irrigation area under the Mwea Irrigation Development Project package II whose aim is to optimize utilization of Thiba Dam is at 71% complete.