SAFEGUARDING
PROJECT
AFFECTED
COMMUNITY
Safeguarding Project-affected Community
The Mwache Dam Project involves the acquisition of approximately 1,360 hectares of land, impacting 1,394 households as part of the Resettlement Action Plan (RAP).
The project includes a structured resettlement action plan to compensate and support Project-Affected Persons (PAPs). Measures are in place to facilitate fair and transparent land acquisition, ensuring minimal disruption to affected households and communities.
The RAP 2 and RAP 3 disclosure process is an essential part of the project, focusing on the Mwache Dam and related infrastructure. These stages are designed to ensure that Project-Affected Persons (PAPs) are well-informed about the land acquisition process, compensation procedures, and the timeline for resettlement activities. The disclosure includes village barazas for community engagement, where concerns can be addressed, and grievance committees will be established to facilitate communication and resolve issues during implementation
Key Objectives of rAP Implementation
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Supporting the community to mitigate any negative impacts from the project and share in its benefits.
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Assisting the affected communities and project affected households to relocate as per their preferred approach.
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Supporting the PAPs efforts to restore their livelihoods to pre-project levels or better.
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Ensure all activities are undertaken after meaningful and culturally acceptable consultation with the affected communities, host communities and affected peoples.
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Supported PAPs and project area communities in lodging, timely hearing and resolutions of project related grievances.
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The construction of the Mwache Dam and Upper Check Dam will have a significant impact on local infrastructure, particularly the Mazeras-Kinango road. The rising water levels from the dam will submerge the existing bridge, cutting off access between Mazeras and Kinango. To address this, a review of the road network is underway. In total, 35 km of new roads will be constructed, and existing roads will be upgraded to maintain connectivity to key facilities. RAP 3 will focus on roads in the Main, Lower, and Upper Check Dam areas, impacting 239 parcels and 1,020 PAPs. Meanwhile, RAP 2 will now focus on land acquisition for 164 parcels, including the Reservoir area and associated infrastructure.
Land Acquisition
The National Land Commission (NLC) has a sole mandate for land acquisition in Kenya. When the government requires land for public purposes or in the public interest, the land is valued, and the owners are compensated and vacate the land to new areas. A normal process for land acquisition (without delays) takes about 6 months. The project is acquiring approximately 1,360Ha that belongs to 1,394 households
Relocation of graves and shrines
The project’s Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) ensures that graves and shrines affected by the project are compensated, relocated, and handled with care and respect.
The following steps are undertaken:
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Informing and obtaining consent from family members.
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Allocating budgets to cover all funeral rites expenses.
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Conducting the exhumation of graves thoughtfully.
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Obtaining court approval through legal procedures.
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Consulting with elders for guidance on the cultural process of relocating graves and shrines, and
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Providing compensation to affected families in accordance with cultural rites, along with covering associated costs.
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All the PAHs who have been compensated have completed their permanent homes and resettled.
The RAP provides temporary housing to Project Affected Households (PAHs) if they can't move within the mandated three-month notice period and need shelter until they complete the construction of their permanent homes. The project has so far constructed 14 housing units.
