President William Ruto has defended the government’s decision to hand over the Galana Kulalu irrigation project to private firms, saying the move is critical to enhancing food security and creating jobs. Speaking during a tour of the project on May 16, 2025, Ruto reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to partnering with the private sector through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model to revive the long-stalled scheme.
The Galana Kulalu project, which spans 250,000 acres, has been divided among three private firms: Selu Africa Limited, Nyumbani Foundation, and UAE-based Al Dahra. Selu will cultivate 20,000 acres, Nyumbani will manage 50,000 acres, while Al Dahra will take the largest share with 180,000 acres.
“This state project has taken a long time to kick off, but this time it will come to fruition,” Ruto said. “We have two private firms already in place, and one, Selu Company, is ready to start food production immediately.”
The President also disclosed that during a recent visit to the UAE, he secured an agreement with President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for a UAE company to invest in Galana Kulalu, highlighting international confidence in the project’s potential.
Key infrastructure developments have already been completed, including a 753-metre inlet canal, a 450 million-litre reservoir, a 1,210-metre outlet canal, and a 20 million-litre off-take sump. These components are part of the Sh519.4 million infrastructure upgrade aimed at making the project fully operational.
Ruto emphasized that Galana Kulalu is central to his broader agricultural transformation agenda, which seeks to boost food production, create youth employment, support agro-processing, and enhance export capacity.
The Head of State also announced plans to construct a major dam near the River Tana to guarantee consistent irrigation, enabling year-round farming and climate-resilient agriculture.
“This time, it will work,” Ruto assured, as he inspected the site alongside top government officials and private sector stakeholders. Cultivation by Selu Africa is set to begin next week, marking a new chapter for the long-delayed project.
