H.E. HON. WILLIAM SAMOEI RUTO, PHD., C.G.H., PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE FORCES, COMMISSIONED THE ZIWA 2 EARTH DAM IRRIGATION PROJECT IN SOY CONSTITUENCY, UASIN GISHU COUNTY
Today, H.E. Hon. William Samoei Ruto, PhD., C.G.H., President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, commissioned the Ziwa 2 Earth Dam Irrigation Project in Soy Constituency, Uasin Gishu County.
The project delivers critical infrastructure designed to transform the region’s farming output. It is centered around a rehabilitated earth dam with a storage capacity of one million cubic meters, powered by two solar-driven pumping systems and two 100-cubic-meter storage tanks.
Water is piped to target areas through dedicated conveyance lines 3 km to Kerotet and 3.3 km to Saramek alongside extensive distribution networks covering 26 km and 34 km respectively.
The project is substantially complete and full farmer connections across the current network will be finalized by the end of November 2026.
In its initial operational phase, the project brings 500 acres of land under irrigation, benefiting 1,000 direct and 5,000 indirect local residents.
Farmers will cultivate staple cereals like maize and beans alongside high-value horticultural crops such as spinach, kale, tomatoes, onions, and passion fruit.
This production is projected to generate an average annual income of KES 200,000 per acre, yielding a combined KES 100 million in gross annual revenue.
Looking forward, implementation will focus on farmer capacity building, strengthening Irrigation Water Users Associations (IWUAs), promoting agribusiness, and establishing market linkages, alongside a proposed KES 360 million Phase II expansion targeting an additional 2,000 acres and 4,000 households.
The project directly supports the goals of Kenya Vision 2030 and the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) by fostering food security, commercial agriculture, and increased rural incomes.