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A section of lawmakers from the Athi River Basin area are pushing for compensation of residents affected by the construction of the Sh24 billion Karimenu II Dam.

The MPs, led by Kiambu Senator Karungo Thang’wa and Gatanga legislator Edward Muriu, demanded that the government compensate those affected by the mega-dam project before embarking on the Ruiru II Dam project.

This follows complaints by residents of Kianjuku in Gatundu North sub-county over the construction of the multi-billion-shilling mega-dam.

The 59-metre-high dam occupies 600 acres of land, will supply 70 million litres of water daily, and is expected to improve the water supply for over one million people in Gatundu, Juja, Ruiru and parts of Nairobi.

According to Senator Thang’wa some acres of land have been affected by the overflow of water from the dam displacing the landowners from their property.

Yesterday while addressing a press conference at Maji House after a meeting with Water Principal Secretary Dr Paul Ronoh, Gatundu South MP Gabriel Kagombe said that the residents have been waiting for compensation for far too long.