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The government is considering public-private partnerships (PPPs) to fund the construction of the multi-billion-shilling Koru-Soin Dam, on the Kericho and Kisumu borders.

The move is aimed at addressing the recurring floods that have displaced thousands of families, destroyed farmlands, and contributed to food insecurity in the Lower Nyando River Basin.

Interior PS Raymond Omollo dislosed the dam would require an investment of over Sh20 billion. “We want innovative strategies and technologies that will be sustainable in the long term,” he said.
If built through a PPP, the PS said, the dam is expected to greatly benefit thousands of households, helping alleviate hunger.

The project has faced delays in the past due to insufficient government funding, raising public interest and concerns.

Despite being proposed and endorsed nearly 10 years ago, the dam’s construction has not started, leaving rice and maize farmers in Kisumu County vulnerable to floods and the risks of hunger and food insecurity.

Omollo spoke during a visit to flood-prone Ombaka and Ogenya villages in the Kano Plains, located in the Lower Nyando River Basin. The PS visited several places in Western Kenya in the company of a number of leaders from the region.

Kisumu County Woman Representative Ruth Odinga, who is also a member of the National Assembly’s Budget Committee, sparked a debate on the PPP matters.

She noted that the government allocates only Sh100 million annually for the dam, a sum she described as insufficient given the total investment needed, causing the project to remain stalled.

She urged the government to consider a PPP model to fund the construction.

Omollo, agreed with the suggestion, emphasising that PPP is the way forward and called on Kenyans, especially those from flood-vulnerable communities, to support the idea of a PPP for the dam’s construction.

“If a PPP model adopted, it could also expedite the construction of the Koru Spin Dam, ending years of delays,” the PS stated.

Earlier, Omollo assessed flood affected regions in Busia and Kisumu counties to evaluate the extent of damage, and to oversee the distribution of relief supplies, and engage with displaced families, as the government intensified its disaster response efforts.