For a decade, residents of Bomet County have heard promises from two administrations about the construction of the multi-billion shilling Bosto Water Dam.
Former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee administration identified it as a key project, but it never took off during his 10-year tenure.
Upon taking office, President William Ruto reiterated the commitment to the project valued at Sh22 billion in 2019 and listed it among his administration's 100 priority dams. On Sunday, he announced his administration had secured funding from China and set a launch date for the end of the year.
President Ruto said the Bosto Dam project was among 50 that had been identified during the Jubilee administration, with the additional 50 having been picked by his government for implementation.
“We have secured Sh15 billion from the Chinese government for the Bosto Dam in Konoin constituency, benefiting Bomet and parts of Kericho counties,” Dr Ruto said, promising to return in December to launch the project.
The dam project, which is set to supply water to Konoin, Bomet Central, Sotik, and Chepalungu constituencies, and parts of Bureti constituency in Kericho, faced previous delays due to political disputes and objections from the Kenya Forestry Service (KFS) over hiving off Mau forest land.
During Mr Kenyatta’s reign, feasibility studies on the project were done, with funding secured from China, but the government was accused of sabotaging its implementation for political reasons.
At the same time, there was a disagreement between various government departments with Kenya Forestry Service (KFS) having given an objection to the hiving off parts of Mau forest in Konoin constituency for the construction of the dam.
During a March 14 visit to Kericho, President Ruto stated that objections from KFS had been resolved, paving the way for the project's implementation.
“The objection that had been raised by KFS on the project has been sorted out and no objection issued. We will seek to fast-track implementation of the project to the benefit of the people” Dr Ruto stated.
However, residents remain skeptical after years of unfulfilled promises.
Politician Ronald Ngeny urged the President to ensure the project takes off to restore public confidence.
“Dr Ruto should ensure that this time around, the project takes off because the people are tired of empty promises by his administration. The President should take charge of it and restore the people’s confidence which has drastically waned in the last two years,” Mr Ngeny said.
Lilah Siele, a Bomet Central leader, emphasised the importance of water for development and criticised the administration for failing to deliver on its development promises.
“Dr Ruto should focus on achievable targets and projects in the South Rift region if he wants to turn around the tide against his administration known for overpromising and under-delivering on development,” Ms Siele said.
“In the last two years, there is nothing to talk about on the development front in Bomet county, which unfortunately has been turned to a platform for issuing political ultimatums by the country’s political top guns,” Ms Siele said.
Past projects like the Sh30 billion Itare Water Project in Nakuru, and the Arror and Kimwarer dams in Elgeyo Marakwet, halted under claims of corruption, and await completion under the current government.
The Arror dam in Marakwet West constituency was to cost Sh28 billion, while the Kimwarer dam in Keiyo South was billed for Sh 38 billion. The construction of both projects was stopped in 2019 under a corruption cloud.
Water pans and boreholes are being constructed in the 47 counties in the country to raise the people’s access to important resources.
Several irrigation schemes are also under implementation, while others have been identified for construction in a bid to enhance food production in the country.
