The Kenyan government is set to commence construction of Phase II of the Thwake Dam in April 2027 after securing Sh10.6 billion in additional financing from the African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
President William Ruto announced the development during a visit to Kitui County, saying the approved funding will allow the government and contractor to proceed with the next stage of the country’s major dam construction project.
The latest financing package includes a €64.2 million loan from the African Development Bank, €4.2 million from the African Development Fund and €15 million in counterpart funding from the Government of Kenya.
Once completed, the Thwake Dam is expected to become a major infrastructure asset for Kitui and Makueni counties, strengthening water supply and supporting the development of irrigation infrastructure. The project is designed to provide up to 150,000 cubic metres of clean water per day to approximately 1.3 million people, support irrigation across 40,000 hectares and generate 20 MW of hydropower.
The construction of Phase II marks a significant step toward completing the flagship dam project and is expected to boost construction activity, agricultural productivity, water security and renewable energy generation in Kenya’s lower eastern region.
