Infrastructure

Chinese Firm Halts Work on Sh20bn Koru-Soin Dam

China Jiangxi is demanding Sh846.5m before resuming excavation works.

Updated on

November 1, 2023

The much-delayed Koru-Soin Dam construction project in western Kenya is facing additional delays as the contractor has stopped on-site work, citing pending bills.

China Jiangxi Economic and Technical Cooperation Co., Ltd., which had started work on site after receiving Sh499 million from the government in August last year, is demanding Sh846.5 million before resuming excavation works.

“The contractor received an advance payment of Sh499 million, which he has used over the last year to mobilise equipment and workers, set up a contractor’s campsite and a resident engineer’s camp, and conduct geotechnical investigations for the dam site and construction materials,” Julius Mugun, the project engineer, said.

Excavation of the spillway is also 50% done, according to Mugun, who was speaking to the National Assembly Committee on Blue Economy, Water, and Sanitation who toured the project site on Tuesday.

The Koru-Soin Dam project, which is fully funded by the Kenyan government, was expected to be completed in 2027 for Sh19.8 billion.

However, the low budgetary allocation to the project has made it difficult for the contractor to proceed as scheduled. In the fiscal year 2022-2023, for example, the State allocated Sh100 million to the project against a Sh3 billion budget.

Sh20 billion

China Jiangxi won the deal to build the Koru-Soin dam on May 11, 2022, after quoting Sh20 billion for the project—33% less than what the State had planned to spend on the venture.

The National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority (NWHSA), the implementing agency, had in June 2020 invited tenderers to make their offers for the project that will be located in Kisumu and Kericho counties.

However, in mid-August 2020, the State re-advertised the tender after most bidders were declared “non-responsive” for failing to meet the requirements.

Disqualified

CK reported that the only bidder who met the requirements was disqualified after quoting Sh36 billion – way above the government’s budget of Sh32 billion.

The fresh bids were opened on September 18, 2020.

The Koru-Soin Dam, whose studies were started in 1982 by Italy and taken over by the Kenyan government in 2009, will be located in Nyando and Ainamoi sub-counties across River Nyando – about 5km upstream of Muhoroni town.

The dam will store up to 93.7 million cubic metres and supply about 72,000 cubic metres of water daily for domestic and institutional use, as well as irrigation of 2,570 hectares of land.

On completion in 2027, the Soin Koru Dam is also expected to generate 5MW of hydropower that will be injected into the national grid.

“The proposed position for embankment is the slopes of Got Alila hill in Muhoroni (Kisumu County) and slopes of Koitatui hill in Soin (Kericho County).

“An area of 2,500 acres will be acquired for the project with parcels of land in both Kericho and Kisumu counties,” the NWHSA says in official documents.

Impacts of floods

The dam, which is expected to alleviate floods in the lower reaches of River Nyando, will be done in two components: the dam component and the water supply component.

The Soin Koru Dam is one of Vision 2030’s flagship dams.

Others include Maruba Dam in Machakos (completed), Chemususu Dam in Baringo (completed), Kiserian Dam in Kajiado (completed), and Siyoi Dam in West Pokot (ongoing).

NWHSA earlier said it had held adequate participation forums with various stakeholders to ensure the smooth implementation of the Koru Soin Dam project.