The Sh24 billion Keben Dam project in Nandi County, is expected to create about 3,000 jobs during construction, supply 24 million litres of treated water daily and open-up new economic opportunities in agriculture, housing and small businesses.

The multi-billion-shilling investment, which includes a 100-metre-high embarkment, a water treatment plant and an 82-kilometre transmission and distribution network, is designed to improve access to clean water for approximately 200,000 households, while supporting agricultural production and commercial activities in the region.

Lake Victoria North Water Works Development Agency Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Joel Wamalwa, said the project had been designed to meet high engineering and safety standards, assuring residents living near the dam and downstream communities, that adequate measures had been put in place to minimise risks.

Speaking during a Public Participation forum on the project held at Kipture Chiefs Camp in Emgwen Sub-county, Wamalwa said the Agency had developed a comprehensive risk management plan, to safeguard communities, adding that the Dam would rise more than 100 feet.

“We have come-up with a risk plan which ensures that chances of breakage are minimised. This project is 99.91 per cent safe. That means residents living near the Dam and downstream are safe,” he said.

Wamalwa said the Dam’s design and engineering specifications, had been carefully considered to ensure it met high standards and would become a major engineering landmark in Kenya and the wider African region.

He said the project marked a significant expansion of the Agency’s responsibilities, noting that in previous years it had largely been involved in relatively smaller undertakings, including drilling boreholes.

“In the past, we were only doing boreholes, but now we are entrusted with projects of this magnitude because our role is to develop water works in the region,” he said.

The CEO said the project would have a water treatment capacity of 24 million litres daily, helping address persistent water shortages in Kapsabet and other urban and peri-urban centres in Nandi County.

The infrastructure includes a reservoir with a capacity of approximately five million cubic metres, an 82-kilometre transmission and distribution network and six storage tanks, with a combined capacity of 12.5 million litres.

The System will also incorporate smart meters, to facilitate last-mile water connections.

The project is expected to serve urban and peri-urban centres, including Kapsabet, Nandi Hills, Kaptumo and Ol’lessos, extending reliable water supply to households, institutions and businesses.

Residents welcomed the project, saying improved access to reliable piped water, would not only ease domestic water challenges, but also support agricultural production, particularly dairy farming, which is a major economic activity in the County.

Jackson Kemboi, a resident of Kapsabet, said the project would improve access to clean water for communitie,s while creating opportunities for expanding irrigation farming.

He said reliable water supply would stabilise distribution in Kapsabet town and surrounding satellite centres, some of which have experienced shortages for years.

Kemboi added that the availability of clean water would benefit livestock farmers, improve dairy production and strengthen food security in the largely agricultural county.

He said the construction of a 16-kilometre tarmac road, would also improve connectivity, making it easier for farmers to transport their produce to markets while opening up surrounding areas to new investments.

Residents further said the anticipated influx of workers, would stimulate local businesses, with landlords expected to benefit from demand for rental houses while traders and small-scale entrepreneurs take advantage of increased economic activity.

They also expressed optimism that the project would increase the value of land in neighbouring communities as improved infrastructure and access to water attract more investments.

Speaking on behalf of the youth, Vivian Cherotich said the anticipated employment of about 3,000 young people during construction would provide an important opportunity for residents struggling to secure jobs.

She urged young people to acquire technical and vocational skills to position themselves for employment opportunities arising from the project.

“Most of the youth are struggling to secure white-collar jobs locally and abroad. I urge them to take advantage of this opportunity and work,” she said.

The Keben Dam project, is located along River Mogobich in Nandi East Sub-county, with the dam site situated within Serengoni Forest.

Its wider infrastructure is designed to serve communities across Nandi County, including Kapsabet, Nandi Hills, Kaptumo and Ol’lessos.

The project, initially commissioned in 2016, stalled in 2019, before being redesigned and revived.

An Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Financing contract, was signed in November 2025 with Sinohydro, a subsidiary of PowerChina, paving the way for its implementation.

By Kosuri Valarie