President Ruto Says Gov't to Construct 1,000 Dams Across the Country

President Ruto has revealed plans by his government to construct 1,000 dams across the country as part of the efforts to tackle food insecurity.

Speaking during an interdenominational thanksgiving prayer service in Kabarnet, Baringo County, on Sunday, the president said the dams’ projects will be implemented under a Public-Private Partnership (    PPP) program, adding that the building of 100 dams has already started. 

“We plan to empower about six million livestock to farmers to boost our food production. That is why we plan to build more dams for water to be used for irrigation, at home, and for livestock,” he said.

The president pointed out that his administration settled on a partnership with private entities as the funds from the National Treasury’s budget are not enough to cover the projects.

“In Baringo, there are Radat, Amaya, Beregei, Kimwarer, and Arror dams which we plan to build for residents to have water. There is a plan to set up 1,000 dams but only 100 have been kicked off,” he added.

“Kerio Valley can be used for farming but since it lacks water and there is no dam, people count losses there. We are committed to ending water problems in Baringo, West Pokot, and Turkana,”

He similarly pledged to construct between 5,000 and 10,000 affordable housing units in Baringo County, with the help of Pension Scheme firms.

“We are coming to parliament to ask you to pass the housing funds so that we can able to support this project,” he told MPs.