County Government of Kirinyaga has been handed over assets owned by the
National Irrigation Authority (NIA) at the Thiba Dam site.
Governor Anne Waiguru said the assets which includes; a medical clinic, residential
houses, dormitories, canteen and offices will be converted into a medical facility.
The handing over of the assets follows a directive by President William Ruto during
the commissioning of Thiba Dam in October 2022.
In a ceremony held at the site, NIA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Engineer Charles
Mwasia, who oversaw the handing over, said the facilities will be of great benefit the
local community.
Engineer Mwasia said the authority is committed to fostering a strong relationship
with the community because one of its largest irrigation scheme is located in the
county.
“Today is a good day for us and for our relationship with the County Government of
Kirinyaga because we have come here in compliance with the President’s directive
to hand over these facilities which we put up during the construction of the dam,”
said Engineer Mwasia.
He further highlighted the success of the Thiba Dam project and its positive impact
on the local agricultural sector, noting that “This Thiba dam facility has had great
impact on Mwea rice farmers. We have been able to increase immensely the area
under irrigation from 25,000 acres too about 35,000 acres.”
During the commissioning of the dam, Governor Waiguru had requested the
President to give the construction site and structures to the County Government for
the setting up of a health centre.
Waiguru further requested for Ksh.50 million support to help the county in
transforming the facility into a full medical facility which President Ruto promised to
honour.
“As the county government, we will secure funds, and hopefully, the national
government can contribute Ksh. 50 million to help revamp the assets into a health
center,” she said.
The CoG Chair noted that there had been a significant rise in the number of
waterborne diseases and a hospital would help curb these cases.
“The dam has many advantages but has also changed the region’s ecosystem,
bringing about diseases such as malaria and other waterborne illnesses. This is why
I think it would be appropriate to convert the abandoned offices and assets into a
hospital. I assure you, Mr. President, that once we do so, residents of the area will
have access to affordable healthcare and will be eternally grateful,” she said.
Deputy Governor David Githanda who represented Governor Waiguru during the
handing over ceremony promised that the facility will be put into good use for the
benefit of the community.
Githanda expressed his gratitude for the successful transfer of the assets,
highlighting the potential impact of a new medical faciltiy on the community’s
healthcare services.
“It is a very great gift to us, to the residents of Kirinyaga,” said he Deputy Governor.
He said the assets handed over include six prefabricated residential houses, nine
masonry residential houses, two dormitories, and four semi-detached houses, all of
which are in excellent condition.
However, transfer of the land on which these assets sits will be concluded later as
per the Land Registration Act No. 3 of 2012.
“We are still yet to receive the land. Today we are not receiving the land, but
arrangements are being made at a later date, not far from today, I believe. But as
from today, the facility is now ours. We have the keys, and we start utilizing,”
Githanda said.
Deputy Governor Githanda noted, “We have looked at these buildings, they are in a
very good state. All we will do is just some clearing of the bushes, and they are in
very good state,” he added.
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