Siyoi Muruny Dam in West Pokot Reaches 85 Percent Completion

The Siyoi Muruny Dam in Kapenguria, West Pokot County, now stands at 85 percent complete. Construction of the project began in March 2015.

The main structure rises 30 metres high and stretches 193 metres in length. It has a total embankment volume of 63,000 cubic metres and is designed to hold 8.9 million cubic metres of water.

Work progress /Handout

The dam forms the core of a larger water supply scheme for Kapenguria and surrounding areas. Once finished, it is expected to serve about 350,000 residents with clean water for domestic use, irrigation and livestock.

The original contract cost was listed at Ksh 9.8 billion. An additional Ksh 650 million was allocated in 2022 to support continued works.

Recent site inspections by Water Cabinet Secretary Eng. Eric Mugaa confirmed steady progress on the cyclopean concrete dam wall, spillway, intake structures and associated works. Overall completion figures from official reports sit between 85 and 86.7 percent.

Lot 1 covers the dam itself, a bridge across the reservoir, access roads and community water components. Lot 2 includes the water treatment works at Kabichbich, storage tanks and bulk transmission pipelines.

The treatment plant is designed for a capacity of around 38,800 cubic metres per day. Storage tanks under the project total more than 17,000 cubic metres. Extensive pipelines will distribute water to Kapenguria, Makutano, Chepareria and other centres.

Works had faced earlier delays linked to funding, but recent allocations have allowed construction to advance. The contractor is China Jiangxi International Kenya Limited, under supervision by the National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority.

Images from the site show the high concrete walls of the dam, tower cranes in place, and workers examining the structure. Spillway and bridge sections are also visible under active construction.

Upon completion the reservoir will draw water from the Muruny River, which originates in the Cherangany Hills. The facility is intended to improve water security in a region that has long faced shortages.

Officials have urged the contractor to maintain quality standards and aim for earlier completion of remaining works. Impoundment of water is expected once the dam wall reaches full height and related structures are finished.

The project remains one of the key water infrastructure investments under way in West Pokot, linking dam storage with treatment and distribution systems for local communities.