Communities in northern Kenya could soon see a major boost in farming and water access with the proposed Daua River Dam, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has said.
He described the river basin as a crucial source of water and livelihoods for more than three million people living in the drought-prone Mandera Triangle, which stretches across Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia.
Mudavadi held talks with Mandera County leaders, including Governor Mohamed Ali Khalif, as well as officials from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and representatives from the national government.
The discussions focused on advancing Kenya’s plans to build its second-largest dam along the Daua River.
The dam is expected to hold around 2 billion cubic metres of water, covering a 160-kilometre stretch of the river and its surrounding 9,000 square kilometres of ecosystem. Once operational, it could irrigate approximately 1.2 million acres, supporting food production and offering a lifeline for livestock farmers in the region.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi chairs a meeting on the sidelines of the African Union meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on January 28, 2026.PHOTO/PCSCSSpeaking on the sidelines of an African Union meeting in Addis Ababa, Mudavadi said he will engage with Ethiopian authorities to coordinate efforts and accelerate the project.
He explained that the Daua River Basin Initiative aims to enhance collaboration across borders, improve resilience to drought, and strengthen local economies.
The meeting was attended by Fatuma Adan, IGAD Head of Mission to Kenya, and Mohamed Guleid, Coordinator of the North and Northeast Development Initiative.
Mudavadi described the project as transformative, saying it will support better water management, increase agricultural yields, and improve livelihoods in one of East Africa’s most water-stressed areas.
