The government has approved an additional Sh12.83 billion to speed up the completion of Thwake Multipurpose Dam, a major water project expected to benefit 1.3 million people, alongside plans to advance three road corridors designed to improve transport links between rural communities, production areas and markets.
The resolutions were reached during a Cabinet meeting chaired by President William Ruto at State House on October 9, 2026, with the investments targeting reliable water supplies, agricultural growth and improved movement of goods and people.
A Cabinet dispatch said the new allocation would help complete Thwake Dam, which is expected to supply 150,000 cubic metres of water daily to residents of Makueni and Kitui counties.
The beneficiaries are expected to include people living in Wote town and surrounding areas, as well as those in Konza Technopolis, where the project is expected to provide a more dependable water source.
“The project will strengthen water security, agricultural production and economic development,” the dispatch stated.
The dam is being developed as a multipurpose facility, with its planned uses extending beyond providing water for households. It is also expected to support irrigation and future hydropower generation, creating opportunities to improve farming and provide water for other economic activities.
The additional funding is intended to bring the project closer to completion, although the Cabinet did not announce a revised deadline for when construction is expected to be finalised.
The investment is part of the government's efforts to address water shortages, especially in areas where access to reliable supplies remains a challenge and agricultural production often depends on seasonal rainfall.
Thwake Dam is expected to help households and institutions access water more reliably while providing support for irrigation schemes that could raise food production in the lower eastern region.
Alongside the dam funding, the Cabinet approved the advancement of three major road corridors under the Roads for Rural Economic Development Programme.
The proposed projects are the 253-kilometre South Rift–Lake Region Gateway Corridor, the 256-kilometre Great Highlands Connectivity Corridor and the approximately 400-kilometre Lake Victoria Ring Road.
The road programme is intended to improve links between areas where agricultural goods are produced, fishing communities and trading centres, making it easier for businesses and communities to reach wider markets.
“The roads will link agricultural production areas, fishing communities and trading centres to wider markets, cutting transport costs, reducing travel times and improving access to economic opportunities,” the dispatch stated.
The planned improvements are expected to make the transportation of farm produce and other goods easier for farmers, traders and fishing communities. Better connections could also help reduce the cost of moving products over long distances.
Businesses located along the corridors could benefit from improved access to customers and suppliers, while stronger road links may help connect smaller trading centres to larger commercial hubs.
The approximately 400-kilometre Lake Victoria Ring Road is expected to improve transport connections around the lake region. Meanwhile, the South Rift–Lake Region Gateway and Great Highlands Connectivity corridors are intended to strengthen links between agricultural production areas and markets across the regions they serve.
Based on the announced lengths, the three roads cover approximately 909 kilometres in total, representing a major planned investment in rural transport connections.
However, the Cabinet dispatch did not state how much the three road projects would cost, when implementation would begin or when the works were expected to be completed.
The latest decisions place water infrastructure and rural transport at the centre of the government's development plans. While the Thwake Dam allocation is aimed at improving water supply and supporting irrigation, the road projects seek to reduce transport barriers and make it easier for rural producers and businesses to reach markets.