Water and Sanitation Cabinet Secretary Eric Mugaa has released Sh100 million for the Kiirua Buuri water project, in a move aimed at expanding irrigation and improving livelihoods in Meru County.
Speaking during the launch, Mugaa said the funding is part of a broader government strategy under President William Ruto to ensure citizens access opportunities for income-generating activities.
“My work is to ensure that even as I serve the rest of the country, the people of Meru also benefit,” Mugaa said, adding that the government is prioritising water access as a driver of economic transformation.
The project, once complete, is expected to cost Sh500 million and will serve more than 3,000 residents across Kiirua-Ntumburi-Kwa Mungania, Kiirua-Mbaria-Nkando-Maili Saba, and Kiirua-Kithwene-Njuruta-Ruiri Rwarera areas.
It is designed to support irrigation farming, with crops such as potatoes, tomatoes, cabbages, garden peas and green maize projected to generate average gross margins of about Ksh285,000 per acre annually.
Buuri MP Mugambi Rindikiri said the Kiirua/Buuri project is expected to reduce poverty through increased agricultural productivity and improved household incomes.
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Mugaa said the funds were allocated in the 2025/2026 supplementary budget, which also set aside Sh300 million for the first phase of the long-awaited Meru town sewerage project.
He noted that the sewerage system has been a major challenge for traders and residents.
He added that several stalled water projects in the county have been revived, including the Kamburu water project in Tigania West, as part of a wider Sh480 million water connection investment in Meru.
The CS attributed the developments to support from President Ruto’s administration and urged residents to back the government, including Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, to ensure continued delivery of projects.
“We should desist from petty politics that deny our people development,” Mugaa said, while calling on the Meru community to remain united in pursuit of economic progress.
Contractors are expected to move to site soon, with the government maintaining that the project is part of a wider plan to enhance water access, boost agriculture and support local economies.
By John Majau
