Mega water dam to solve Kenya- Uganda border conflict

Turkana, Sunday, June 4, 2023

KNA by Peter Gitonga

The government through the Kenya Development Response to Displacement Impacts Project (KDRDIP) has constructed a mega dam with a capacity to hold 50 milion cubic litres of water near the Kenya-Uganda border. 

It is located at Lomesepus, Turkana West Sub County which is 60km from Uganda and 30km from South Sudan. 

Speaking during a two days tour of Turkana West Sub-County to assess KDRDIP projects Principal Secretary in charge of State Department for ASALS & Regional Development Idris Dokota said the dam will help avert conflicts due to water. 

"The interventions will go a long way in protecting our people from moving to neighbouring countries in search of water," said the PS. 

Dakota added that the KDRDIP has also drilled and equipped 30 boreholes and eight water pans in Turkana West Sub-County. 

Mr. Dokota made the remarks at Lomesepus, where he inspected ongoing construction of a mega water pan implemented by KDRDIP.

Already KDRDIP has drilled and equipped a borehole at Nadapal Border near South Sudan Border.  

The KDRDIP projects also aim to foster peaceful coexistence between host communities and refugees living in Kakuma by reducing stress on resources. 

The project has also seen the construction of the first ever mortuary in Turkana West sub county at Kakuma hospital. 

The facility will reduce the costs incurred by families in transporting bodies of their loved ones to Lodwar which is 120km away. 

The PS also toured a water borehole drilled to support households living at Lokore. He challenged the residents to take advantage of the borehole to plant trees in line with the government’s agenda of planting 15 billion trees in the next 10 years. 

The PS was accompanied by KDRDIP Project manager Wilfred Omari, Turkana county coordinator Amfrey Amoni, county police commander Samuel Ndanyi among other senior officials.

Courtesy ; K. N. A