African Development Bank Adds €68 Million to Kenya's Thwake Dam

The Board of Directors finalized the funding package on 22 May, combining a €64.20 million loan from the Bank with €4.2 million from the African Development Fund and €15 million in matching government contributions. These resources are earmarked for critical engineering enhancements, specifically raising the dam's height, fortifying foundations, and constructing two saddle dams to bolster long-term resilience.

Located in the lower-eastern region, the dam is engineered to supply 150,000 cubic meters of clean water daily to 1.3 million residents across Kitui and Makueni counties. Beyond water security, the facility will support irrigation for 40,000 hectares of farmland and feed 20 megawatts of renewable hydropower into the national grid. Local communities have already tapped into construction-linked employment and infrastructure upgrades to schools and healthcare facilities. The project remains on track for completion by September 2028.