Land dispute threatens to stall Gatundu’s Ksh13b dam project
The planned construction of a multibillion-shilling dam in Gatundu North, Kiambu County remains in limbo after residents rejected it saying it was not viable and would affect their agricultural operations.
They have also complained about what they say is a lack of adequate consultation by the government and low compensation for persons to be displaced by the project.
Ndarugu dam, a Sh13 billion project that the government hopes to put up at Kanjuku, Mwimuto, Watathi, Gathaiti and Gatei villages, is among the100 mega-dams that President William Ruto’s administration is planning to construct to mitigate the effects of recurrent droughts on food production and water supply.
Ruto’s government says the dam will be used to conserve water for use in homes and farms during dry seasons.
The 50-metre height water project is expected to boost the water supply to various towns in Kiambu County.
But the project is facing resistance from some residents and leaders, with land owners vowing not to cede their parcels for the construction of the dam which they claim will have adverse effects on the environment and the health of the population.
200 land owners
Located less than 5km from the Sh24 billion Karimenu II dam, the proposed project would see more than 200 landowners moved.
Landowners say the government is planning to transfer them to semi-arid land in Murang’a County, which they say is not suitable for agricultural production.
Gatundu North farmers produce pineapples, avocado, tea, and coffee among other crops owing to favourable weather conditions.
Residents have accused the government of ambushing them with the project.
“These people have been invading our land without our consent. We understand they have already conducted their feasibility study; geotechnical survey and they now want us to leave our ancestral land for the project. There are other areas where they can build the dam as we already have Karimenu dam less than five kilometres from where they want to build Ndarugu dam,” said Ng’ang’a Wamuthua, a resident.
Little money
Nancy Mwihaki vowed not to move from her land.
Mwihaki, an elderly woman, said that since the announcement of the project, many elders in affected villages had suffered high blood pressure and cannot cope with the cold that another dam might create.
“The government also wants to pay us about Sh2 million for an acre yet you cannot get such land with that little money anywhere else. They want to impoverish us or make us refugees in our homeland. Let them build the dam elsewhere,” said Mwihaki.
Local MP Elijah Kururia has also rejected the proposal.
He suggests that the dam be constructed at the nearby Kieni forest, saying the project would even be cheaper as the government would not have to compensate anyone for land.
Kururia, who spoke during a meeting with affected families, claimed the government had neglected the area for development. He said the constituency is struggling with bad roads and low electricity connections.
The lawmaker said the Karimenu II dam does not benefit the local population, saying it only supplies water to Nairobi, Ruiru and Juja residents while most villages in the area continue to suffer acute water shortages.
Kururia said that despite residents greatly contributing to the national economy through the production of tea, and coffee among other crops, the government had not given the area its fair share of development projects.
“If the government is doing this in good faith, it should first complete the Thika-Magumu highway which stalled. Where is it getting billions to build a dam when it cannot find money to complete stalled roads and electrification projects? The dam should be built in the forest, we are not ready to host two dams here,” said the MP.
But the government insists a contractor is set to begin construction works and nothing will stop the project, saying it will not only benefit residents but the entire country.
Water Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome says that while the government will not take away property from residents before the two parties agree on payment terms, the project must continue.
Speaking after she inspected Karimenu II dam progress, Wahome however stated that the project had been scaled down so that it does not affect too many people downstream.
“The dam will only affect about 200 people, a small number that we will be able to compensate following government rates and guidelines. Nobody will take away your property before we agree on how much but also, but we don’t want to create barriers to development because this is not an individual’s project. We appeal to you that you cooperate and we don’t want brokers and speculators inciting locals against the project,” said Wahome.
Speculators
Saying the country has a long way to go to ensure universal access to water, the CS said the project was even late as it was expected to be a game changer in helping the government achieve a 100 per cent water provision to all Kenyans.
“The problem is not the owners. Ndarugu people are okay but there are speculators and I want to give bad news to you because you will not stop us.
This country stands at around 70 per cent access to water and inciting people against the project means you are not a friend of the people and you should keep off. We will deal with the owners and elected leaders,” she added.
She said President Ruto had been keenly following the project’s progress adding that the National Lands Commission (NLC) was in the process of gazetting required land before other processes take place.
“These instructions are directly coming from the Head of State who is keeping a close eye on the progress of the project. NLC has been asked to work day and night and I will be signing the letters for those parcels on Monday so that they can be gazetted. The dam area needs to be released early because there are investigations that need to be conducted on the land before we move on,” she added.
