The State Department for Irrigation, through the National Land Commission (NLC), is set to commence the payout of Sh600 million to the Mwache Multi-purpose dam Project Affected Persons (PAPs), as the multi-billion project rapidly takes shape.
The compensation conundrum had threatened to derail the transformative Sh20 billion project that aims to sustainably improve water security and build climate resilience, increase bulk water supply and increase access to water and sanitation in the Coastal Region.
Irrigation Principal Secretary (PS) CPA Ephantus Kimotho acknowledged that compensating the over 4,000 PAPs posed a major challenge at the start of the dam's construction, with a total of Sh4.6 billion required for compensation and resettlement.
The previous administration disbursed Sh1.6 billion, while the current Kenya Kwanza administration developed a comprehensive Resettlement Action Plan to clear the outstanding balance of Sh3 billion. "Sh1 billion has already been paid, and people have been compensated," PS Kimotho said, adding that the NLC has received Sh600 million, which will be disbursed to PAPs next week. "Beginning July, the balance of Sh1.4 billion will be disbursed, and we expect all the PAPs to be paid by December 2025," added the PS during the groundbreaking of Mwache Health facility, a component of the dam project, accompanied by Kwale Governor Fatuma Achani.
