Kieni Dam and Irrigation Infrastructure Project (Karemenu and Naromoru)
In its quest to meet the national food policy and alleviate poverty in the Kieni area, the Government of Kenya (GoK) prioritized development of the Kieni Irrigation Project as one of the flagship projects of the Vision 2030 for food security and appointed TARDA as the Implementing Agency of the project. The project will be realized through damming the rivers that transverse the project area and which emanate from the major water towers of the Aberdare Ranges and Mt. Kenya.
The feasibility studies have already been carried out and identified seven (7) dams namely Chania, Tinga, Naromoru, Kamburaini, Waiwa, NgareNgiro and Karemenu to be constructed. The seven can harness a total of approx. 120million cubic metres to command a feasible irrigable area of 5,200Ha and serve 52,000 households.
Further detailed studies were undertaken on two (2) of the dams i.e. Karimenu and Naromoru dams and detailed designs for both dams completed. The Karemenu Dam is projected to have a water storage capacity of 3million cubic metres sand irrigation command of 1,000Ha while the Naromoru Dam storage capacity is 6.4 million cubic metres and irrigation command of 1,300Ha.
