For decades, residents of the remote interior of Tana River County have lived with a painful reality.
Every dry season, families walked kilometres in search of water, children missed school, livestock perished and conflicts over scarce water sources became inevitable.
That cycle may finally be coming to an end.
The national government has completed two earth-fill dams worth nearly Sh190 million in Tana North and Bangale subcounties, a major investment expected to transform livelihoods for thousands of pastoralists in one of Kenya’s most drought-prone regions.
Constructed under the Drought Mitigation and Flood Control Programme through the Coast Development Authority (CDA), the Miidi and Hambaresa earth-fill dams each have a storage capacity of 100,000 cubic metres.
The projects are designed to improve access to water, strengthen climate resilience and enhance food and nutrition security in vulnerable communities that have long struggled with recurring drought.
East African Community Affairs, ASALs and Regional Development CS Beatrice Askul described the dams as proof that government investments are reaching the country’s most marginalised communities.
“What I’ve come to witness is value for money. The services are reaching the most vulnerable and marginalised communities, especially pastoralists who depend on livestock,” she said during the commissioning of the projects.
“Seeing such an investment in the heart of Tana River tells me that government development is reaching the people who need it most.”
Askul said the projects would spare families the hardships that have forced pastoralists to migrate in search of water and pasture.
“The pastoralists told us they move long distances looking for water. Sometimes children are withdrawn from school because families cannot leave them behind. In some cases, conflicts arise over access to water and grazing land,” she said.
“But now there is hope. The livestock will have water; communities will have clean water closer to their homes and their dignity will be restored.”
The Cabinet secretary challenged local leaders and residents to protect the facilities, saying they represent a huge public investment.
“I urge the community to safeguard this project the same way they protect their livestock. If we fail to protect it, we risk losing an investment that may not easily be replaced,” she said.
The Miidi earth-fill dam, located in Chewele ward, Tana North subcounty, was constructed at a cost of Sh95.8 million by Holwadhe Investment Limited.
The project has reached 100 per cent completion and includes a reservoir, embankment, water kiosk, livestock watering troughs, fencing and other auxiliary structures.
It is expected to benefit 1,349 households in Miidi, Village 15, Kware and Sigale villages while providing water for between 30,000 and 40,000 cattle, up to 200 camels, about 6,000 goats and sheep and hundreds of donkeys.
The second project, the Hambaresa earth-fill dam in Sala ward, Bangale subcounty, was built by Crossland Construction and General Supplies Limited at a cost of Sh93.98 million.
The dam will serve about 2,000 households in Dalolo Garse, Boca, Gelmad and neighbouring villages.
It will also provide water for between 30,000 and 40,000 cattle, about 40,000 camels, and thousands of goats and sheep.
CDA managing director Mwanasiti Bendera said the projects represent a milestone in the authority’s efforts to improve water security in the Coast region’s arid counties.
“Today we have completed Hambaresa and Miidi earth-fill dams, each with a capacity of 100,000 cubic metres. We are happy the communities can already see the impact these projects will have on their lives,” she said.
She said reliable water supplies will reduce the long distances residents travel in search of water while improving livestock production, the main economic activity in the area.
CDA chairperson Mwenye Mzee described the dams as a demonstration of the government’s commitment to taking development to grassroots communities.
“We are reaching the grassroots and improving livelihoods. This is exactly what the Coast Development Authority was established to do, supporting communities through projects that directly change people’s lives,” he said.
The authority says the dams are expected to reduce conflicts over scarce water resources, improve school enrolment and retention, enhance livestock productivity and strengthen resilience against climate change.
Tana River county commissioner Joseph Wamuti said the projects will not only solve the water challenge for livestock but will also encourage pastoralists to venture into farming.
“We have witnessed investors coming to the region for large-scale farming. I also want to encourage the locals to now get into farming because we now have an adequate water supply,” he said.
