NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 13 – Frustration is mounting among residents displaced by the construction of the Sh24 billion Karimenu II Dam in Gatundu North, Kiambu County, who accuse the government of dragging its feet on its compensation promises.
The dam, commissioned in August 2022 by former President Uhuru Kenyatta as a Vision 2030 flagship project, stands at 59 meters high, spans 600 acres, and supplies 70 million litres of water daily to nearly one million residents in Gatundu, Juja, Ruiru, and parts of Nairobi.
While the project has significantly boosted water supply in the region, some of the affected families say they are still waiting for the compensation they were promised before construction began.
“I came here hoping to see the Cabinet Secretary for Water address our compensation issue. I am disappointed, and I don’t see the importance of this initiative,” said Simon Nguyai Timothy, one of the displaced residents.
Nguyai spoke on the sidelines of the launch of the Upper Tana and Mid-Galana Water Stewardship and Water Shed Restoration Project.
The initiative, launched on September 11, focuses on agroforestry, riparian restoration, rainwater harvesting, and improved land management to restore degraded farmlands and enhance food security.
Athi Water Works Development Agency CEO Eng. Joseph Kamau admitted the delays, particularly in compensating families in the buffer zones surrounding the reservoir.
“We have compensated where the water sits, but we have not compensated an area we usually call the buffer zone—about 50 meters from the top water line,” Kamau explained.
“The valuation has been done, figures established, and reports submitted to the National Land Commission. We expect the process of disclosure and compensation to begin any time now.”
Kamau conceded the process was behind schedule.
“We had expected completion before the end of the last financial year. Now, I would say by October we should see movement on that front,” he added.
For many residents, however, the assurances ring hollow as they continue to endure the loss of homes and farmland.
The delayed payouts have deepened frustrations and raised questions about the government’s commitment to supporting communities uprooted for large-scale infrastructure projects.
In September 2023, President William Ruto directed then-Water Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome to settle Sh 4.2 billion owed to the affected families.
Yet, some residents insist they are still waiting for the money.
