Kenya's land commission puts Thwake Dam compensation at 99.9% complete
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The National Land Commission says only claims tied to court cases and other disputes remain unpaid, as the multibillion-shilling dam nears 94 per cent completion ahead of an April 2027 commissioning.
The National Land Commission said in a statement on Saturday, October 24, that it has completed 99.9 per cent of compensation for project-affected persons under the Thwake Dam Project, with the outstanding 0.1 per cent attributable to pending court cases and other disputes.
"NLC remains committed to ensuring fair and transparent compensation of Project Affected Persons (PAPs) under the Thwake Dam Project. To date, the Commission has completed 99.9 per cent of PAP compensation, with the outstanding 0.1 per cent attributable to pending court cases and other disputes," the commission said.
The Ministry of Water and Sanitation says construction of the dam is 94 per cent complete as of October 2026, with water storage targeted for the end of January 2027 and commissioning by President William Ruto planned for April 2027, after which downstream works including water supply to Makueni and Kitui counties will begin.
Phase one had been scheduled for completion in December 2026 but was delayed by funding gaps. President Ruto said the government had approved Ksh10.6 billion to complete the project, including a Ksh9.6 billion (EUR 64.20 million) African Development Bank loan and Ksh630.8 million (EUR 4.2 million) from the African Development Fund.
The dam, which spans Kitui and Makueni counties, began in 2018 and is one of Kenya's flagship water infrastructure projects, expected to improve water supply, boost irrigation and support industrial development once complete. The broader multi-phase rollout, including hydropower and irrigation components, extends through September 2028 according to the African Development Bank.