Water, Sanitation, and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Eng. Eric Mugaa has blamed the Ukraine War for the delay of Thwake dam construction.
The CS struggled to explain how the prolonged war in Russia-Ukraine, which is kilometers away directly affects the completion of a Single dam in Kenya.
“The distance from Thwake Dam to Kyiv in Ukraine is 9,177 kilometers. What’s the connection?” Wambua asked.
In response, while appearing before the Senate, the CS cited Global economic disruptions caused by the war had limited Kenya’s access to essential construction materials, particularly explosives required for blasting rock foundations of the dam.
“During wars, our access to explosives that are required to blast the foundations of the rock bed of dams was not available. That slows the progress of work. The Ukraine war affected global economics, and Kenya is part of global economics,” Mugaa stated.
“Ukraine war affected global economics so even kenya is part of the global economic” he added.
The Thwake Multipurpose Dam, a flagship project under Kenya’s Vision 2030, is expected to supply water to residents in Makueni, Kitui, and parts of Machakos counties, has faced multiple setbaacks over the years as Lawmakers are now demanding a more transparent breakdown of the challenges hindering its completion.
Mugaa’s remarks come amid growing public concern over delays in major infrastructure projects, with critics urging the government to find alternative solutions to mitigate external disruptions. However, officials maintain that the dam remains a priority in Kenya’s efforts to enhance water security and boost agricultural productivity in arid region.
This incident adds to the growing scrutiny of government officials in President William Ruto’s administration, with several Cabinet Secretaries recently coming under fire over accountability issues.
