In the sun-scorched counties of Makueni and Kitui, where the Thwake and Athi rivers converge, the Thwake Multipurpose Dam stands as a beacon of hope for over 1.3 million rural inhabitants drawn from the regions.
Promising water security, irrigation, and hydropower, the dam is a cornerstone of Kenya's Vision 2030.
Yet, beneath its towering 80.5-meter embankment lies a sobering reality-the need to create awareness in the communities of the risk of a dam break, which is a rare but catastrophic possibility that could flood downstream communities.
Recently, the Ministry of Water, Sanitation, and Irrigation and the Program Implementation Team (PIT), through a consultant, conducted a month-long sensitization session on dam break awareness for the residents living in the downstream areas in at least five counties.
