Residents of Kiambu Sub-County have formally petitioned the National Assembly to investigate the prolonged delay in the construction of the proposed Ruiru II Dam, saying the stalled project has denied thousands of households reliable access to clean and adequate water despite years of growing demand.
The public petition, presented to the National Assembly by Ting’ang’a Ward MCA Lawrence Mwaura on behalf of residents, calls for an inquiry into why the dam, which was launched in 2014, has never been completed and whether the government still intends to implement the project.
According to the petition, the residents argue that the existing Ruiru I Dam is no longer sufficient to meet the water needs of Kiambu, Kiambaa and neighbouring areas, whose populations have expanded rapidly over the past decade.
The petition traces the history of the Ruiru I Dam, noting that it was designed in 1949 during the colonial period and draws its water from the Ruiru River, which originates from the Lari Swamp in the Upper Athi River Water Basin.
The petitioners contend that the dam was originally intended to supply water to European settlers in Nairobi during the colonial era, bypassing indigenous communities living around the catchment area. They further claim that the dam, currently managed by the Nairobi Water Company, primarily serves Nairobi City, leaving surrounding communities with inadequate access to the resource despite living near the water source.
Residents also allege that local communities have, on various occasions, been prevented from accessing water from the dam by national government officers, a situation they say has fuelled frustration among those living around the facility.
The petition states that the proposed Ruiru II Dam was conceived to supplement the existing water infrastructure and provide a sustainable supply of drinking water to residents of Kiambu, Kiambaa and other surrounding areas. However, although the project was officially launched towards the end of 2014, construction has never materialised.
The residents argue that the failure to implement the project has contributed to persistent water shortages, forcing many households to rely on irregular water supplies, expensive vendors and other unreliable sources for domestic use.
Through the petition, the residents are asking the National Assembly, through its relevant committee, to establish the reasons behind the stalled project and determine whether there are plans to revive and complete the construction of the Ruiru II Dam.
Specifically, the petition seeks answers on why the project failed to take off despite its launch more than a decade ago and whether the national government has allocated resources or developed fresh plans to deliver the long-awaited dam.
The petitioners maintain that completing the project would significantly improve access to clean and safe drinking water for thousands of residents while supporting the region’s continued urban growth and economic development.
They have urged Parliament to intervene and ensure that the project is revived, saying access to water remains a fundamental right that should not be denied to communities living within the dam’s catchment area.
The petition was officially submitted to the National Assembly by Ting’ang’a Ward MCA Lawrence Mwaura, who is seeking parliamentary intervention to resolve what residents describe as years of uncertainty over a project they believe is critical to the future water security of Kiambu County.
