President Ruto: Issues around Itare dam resolved

President William Ruto has confirmed that the long-standing legal and administrative hurdles surrounding the Itare Dam project have been resolved. The announcement follows high-level bilateral discussions in Rome with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and President Sergio Mattarella.

Speaking during his official visit to Italy, President Ruto stated that both nations have reached a consensus on the implementation of the water project going forward. The breakthrough is expected to unlock the Sh40 billion infrastructure development, which has remained dormant for several years.

The Itare Dam, located in Kuresoi South, was designed to address chronic water shortages in Nakuru County and its environs. The project was originally expected to serve approximately 800,000 residents in Molo, Njoro, Rongai, and Nakuru Town.

Construction ground to a halt in 2018 when the lead contractor, CMC di Ravenna, faced financial difficulties and filed for a court-supervised restructuring in Italy. At the time of suspension, the project was estimated to be only 27 percent complete.

The deadlock was further complicated by international arbitration cases filed by the contractor. However, recent diplomatic negotiations have led to the withdrawal of these cases at the International Chamber of Commerce and the Permanent Court of Arbitration.

The settlement clears a major path for the revival of the site. President Ruto noted that the agreement forms part of a broader cooperation framework aimed at completing several stalled dam projects, including Arror and Kimwarer, which have faced similar legal challenges.

Government officials indicated that the administration is prioritizing these water projects under its national irrigation and food security agenda. The goal is to expand the national irrigation footprint to 2.5 million acres over the next seven years.

In addition to the dam agreement, Kenya and Italy signed eight other memoranda of understanding. These agreements cover various sectors, including environmental conservation, agriculture, and security sector training.

The National Treasury and the Ministry of Water are now expected to coordinate with Italian financiers to restructure the existing credit facilities. This will allow for the remobilization of equipment and personnel to the Kuresoi site.

Local leaders in Nakuru have expressed cautious optimism regarding the news, citing the critical need for a reliable water supply to support both domestic consumption and the growing industrial hub in the region.

Work at the site has previously seen billions of shillings in equipment rendered idle. With the legal impasse now settled, the focus shifts to the technical evaluation of the existing structures to determine the remaining workload and updated timelines for completion.