By Shaban Omar
Relief is fast approaching for thousands of residents in Kenya’s coastal region who have endured chronic water shortages for decades, following significant progress on the construction of the multi-purpose Mwache Dam in Kwale County.
The national government has allocated an additional Sh13.6 billion to fast-track the completion of the multi-purpose Mwache Dam project at Fulugani, in Kinango Sub-County.
The project’s main dam wall, a Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) mega-structure, rises 84 metres from the ground to an elevation of 94.5 metres above sea level and is designed to impound up to 136 billion litres of water.
Once completed, the dam is expected to significantly improve water security in Kwale, Kilifi and Mombasa counties, while supporting agricultural production, industrial development and access to reliable water for households and businesses.
According to the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation, the project is now 90 per cent complete, with water impoundment expected to begin on October 1, 2026.
Speaking in Kwale county Cabinet Secretary for Water Eng. Eric Mugaa said the government was committed to ensuring that both the main dam structure and its critical auxiliary components are completed without further delays.
Mugaa said Mwache Dam was more than a single infrastructure project, describing it as the backbone of an interconnected water management system designed to transform water supply across the coastal region.
“Mwache is not just a single dam; it is a vital cog in an intricate coastal water supply network. Water is the foundation of agricultural productivity, industrial growth and public health. By the upcoming short rains, we will begin impounding water,” he said.
Water Principal Secretary Julius Korir said the government was implementing social and economic programmes alongside the dam’s construction to ensure communities affected by and living around the project benefit directly from the investment.
He said complementary infrastructure and livelihood support measures were being rolled out concurrently with the main dam works to extend the project’s benefits to households, farmers, traders and other local residents.
“We are taking a whole-of-community approach. Downstream water distribution networks, social facilities and economic support programmes are being implemented alongside the main project,” Korir said.
He added that construction of the 186-million-litre-per-day water treatment plant is expected to begin in mid-September, while contracts for water pipelines serving the North and South Coasts have already been awarded.
He said the infrastructure will help extend reliable clean water supplies to more than 1.5 million residents in the coastal region.
Meanwhile, Water Secretary and Mwache Dam Project Manager Eng. Samwel Alima said construction of the Lower Check Dam had reached 87 per cent completion.
The structure is designed to trap sediment carried downstream and protect the quality and storage capacity of water in the main reservoir.
Alima said the entire Mwache Dam project, which comprises several components, was currently 81 per cent complete.
He said regular monitoring meetings involving key stakeholders were being held to track progress and address outstanding works.
“We have only a few remaining works, which we refer to as the snag list, and the contractor is addressing these final items,” Alima said.
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