Mwache Dam Gives Coast Communities New Hope for Water, Jobs and Better Services.
By Caroline Katana
For communities living around the Mwache Multipurpose Dam in Kwale County, the massive project is already changing lives even before the first major benefits of its water reservoir are fully realised.
Residents say the project has brought employment opportunities, improved schools and better housing, while raising hopes that decades of water shortages across the Coast region could finally be addressed.
The dam, being constructed in Kasemeni, Kinango Constituency, is designed to strengthen water security for the Coast region, support irrigation and provide water for domestic and livestock use.
The more than KSh25 billion project is expected to supply millions of litres of water daily once fully operational.
For Ali Tungwa Juma, a resident of Galile village, some of the project's benefits are already visible in education.
He said schools affected by the project were relocated and upgraded, replacing old facilities with modern structures capable of accommodating more learners.
“Before, our schools were in a very poor condition. But now, after they were relocated, the schools are good. If you pass through Fulugani, you will see a modern school. The same applies to Mwache ECD and Nlunguni,” Juma said.
He said the new schools had improved both the learning environment and their capacity to accommodate more children.
Juma also sees the dam as a potential turning point in solving the Coast's persistent water shortage.
He said water that previously flowed towards the sea would now be stored and put to productive use, benefiting communities in Kwale, Mombasa and beyond.
“Looking ahead, this Mwache project could completely end the water problem that has been a persistent challenge in the Coast region,” he said.
The project has also opened employment opportunities for local youth.
Shaban Ndegwa Bora said the dam had provided work for people who previously spent much of their time idle or struggling to make ends meet.
“Before the project came, we had no jobs. We were hustling and spending our time at the local gathering places. Now we have been employed and we are working. We thank God for the Mwache Dam project,” he said.
He praised President William Ruto for supporting the project, saying employment had given young people an opportunity to earn an income and improve their lives.
The benefits are also being viewed through the lens of agriculture and household water security.
Residents in Kasemeni and neighbouring areas say water remains one of their biggest challenges, with some families travelling long distances to find it.
Nazuwa Mgandi Ngala, a resident of Fulugani village, said households sometimes have to rely on motorcycles to transport water.
She said residents can spend money to have several containers brought from areas such as Galile.
“If Mwache brings water, it will help us greatly. We are asking that once the project is completed, Fulugani should be given water as a priority,” Ngala said.
She wants the project to benefit the communities that have hosted it, particularly through reliable access to water for households and children.
For Juma, that is also an important part of the project's promise.
He urged the government to ensure that Kwale does not miss out on the water benefits because the dam is located in the county.
“ I am asking the President to ensure that Kwale County residents gets a big share of water because we have a serious water problem,” he said.
The dam is also expected to support irrigation and food production.
At its groundbreaking, the government said the project would provide water for irrigation of thousands of acres in Kwale, while supplying water for domestic use in Kwale and Mombasa.
But as construction enters its final stages, the excitement surrounding the project's expected benefits is being accompanied by growing concerns from some communities affected by its construction.
The government reported in August 2026 that overall implementation had reached 82.2 per cent, with the main dam at 90 per cent and the lower check dam at 88 per cent.
Preparations for water impoundment and livelihood restoration programmes are also underway.
For some residents, however, the journey to that milestone has come at a heavy personal cost.
Ngala said her entire four-acre farm was acquired for the project and that she was paid KSh250,000 for each acre.
“My entire farm was taken. I was not left with even a small piece. I was paid KSh250,000 for each acre. That money went into building and I finished it. Now I have nothing,” she said.
She believes the compensation was inadequate and says she would have preferred to receive at least KSh500,000 per acre to enable her to rebuild her livelihood.
She also complained about dust from construction vehicles along roads near her home, saying the measures being taken to control it were insufficient.
“We suffer from dust until we have to close the doors and stay on the other side of the house because you cannot live here,” she said.
Another resident, Tsuma Ngome Jefa of Bokole village, said the community initially welcomed the project but later began experiencing difficulties associated with construction activities.
He cited dust and blasting among his major concerns, alleging that some houses had developed cracks and others had been damaged.
“The Mwache Dam project came and we welcomed it, but it has also affected us badly, the dust is affecting us so much. Many people have eye problems and others are coughing and suffering from chest problems,” Jefa said.
He claimed that blasting near the Mwache Dam had affected houses in the area, with some residents fearing that damaged structures could collapse.
Access remains another major concern.
Residents say the loss of the old Mwache bridge crossing has made movement difficult for communities on both sides of the river, particularly people travelling to Mazeras and Kinango for work and business.
They also say schoolchildren have been affected whenever heavy rains make crossing difficult.
Juma said resident and pupils travelling to schools including Mpirani and Mvurya secondary schools had previously been unable to attend classes for weeks when flooding cut off the crossing.
Residents are now calling for an alternative bridge or crossing to be provided before the next period of heavy rains.
“We need a bridge there so that people can easily move from one side to the other,” he said.
They are also concerned about delays in completing the project.
Although construction is now more than 80 per cent complete, the project has faced funding and compensation challenges.
In February 2026, Cabinet approved an additional KSh13.6 billion to facilitate completion, including civil works, compensation, environmental safeguards and catchment restoration.
The contractor has also previously faced delayed payments, with reports in May indicating that unpaid certificates had slowed construction.
For residents, therefore, the success of Mwache Dam will ultimately be measured not only by the size of its reservoir or the completion of its concrete structures, but by whether the people living around it feel they have benefited from the transformation.
The project has given young people jobs, replaced some old schools with modern facilities and created expectations of reliable water, irrigation and improved livelihoods.
But communities affected by land acquisition and construction want the remaining phase to address their concerns as seriously as the government pursues completion of the dam..
The locals voice is clear - Mwache should not only deliver water to the Coast , it should also leave the communities that hosted it better off than they were before construction began.
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