The government has stepped up efforts to advance the Bosto Dam Water Supply Project, which is expected to provide reliable water to an estimated 709,000 people in Bomet and Kericho counties.
Principal Secretary for the State Department for Water and Sanitation Julius Korir joined Principal Secretaries from the National Treasury, Roads and Transport for a briefing ahead of engagements with Chinese authorities on the Bosto Dam project and other government programmes.
The Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation said discussions with the Chinese authorities will focus on financing the project, a key step towards moving the long-awaited investment forward.
“The Bosto Dam project seeks to provide reliable water to an estimated 709,000 people across parts of Bomet and Kericho Counties,” the ministry said.
The project will cover Konoin, Bomet Central, Sotik and Chepalungu constituencies, as well as urban centres including Bomet Town, Silibwet, Sotik, Kapkatet, Siongiroi and Ndanai.
The multipurpose dam, to be located along the Kipsonoi River within the South West Mau Forest Reserve in Konoin Constituency, will have a capacity of 18.8 million cubic metres, equivalent to 18.8 billion litres, according to the ministry.
Beyond domestic water supply, the project is expected to support livestock use, facilitate irrigation on about 17,500 acres and contribute to power generation.
The government has previously said financing arrangements were being finalised for the Bosto project. In 2024, then Water Cabinet Secretary Zachariah Njeru told the Senate that the government already had a contractor and was finalising financing.
The project has also featured in Kenya-China financing discussions, with the National Treasury previously listing Bosto Dam among projects approved for Preferential Buyer’s Credit.
The Bosto Dam project has been under discussion for years, with earlier plans indicating that it would supply water to communities in Bomet and parts of Kericho while supporting irrigation, livestock and hydropower generation.
