EXPLAINER: Why Ruto Privatised Galana Kulalu Project Despite Public Outrage
President William Ruto has defended the government’s decision to partner with three private firms from the United Arab Emirates in the revival of the multi-billion-shilling Galana Kulalu irrigation project.
The President said the move will significantly boost food production and create jobs for Kenyan youth.
President Ruto underlined the government’s commitment to collaborating with the private sector through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model to operationalise the long-stalled project.
“We have two private firms, but one, Selu Company, has already set base here, ready to kick start food production in a 20,000-acre farm,’’ President Ruto said during his tour of the project on May 16, 2025.
Electrification of Galana Kulalu Food Security Project https://t.co/jR9vSeLXti
— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) May 16, 2025
“Another company from the United Arab Emirates will also invest here to produce food.”
“I was in the UAE and we agreed with the President that one of their company will invest here to produce food and create jobs,” said the President of a meeting with his UAE counterpart, President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The government has awarded sections of the 250,000-acre irrigation scheme to three firms: Selu Africa Limited, Nyumbani Foundation, and Al Dahra of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Electrification of Galana Kulalu Food Security Project https://t.co/i4PNQs2lkI
— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) May 16, 2025
Under the new agreement, Selu Africa will cultivate 20,000 acres, the Nyumbani Foundation will administer 50,000 acres, and Al Dahra would own the majority of the land, 180,000 acres.
“This state project has taken a long time to kick off, but this time it will come to fruition. Hakuna kizungu mingi na Kiswahili mingi (no more rhetoric). We are now working,” President Ruto said.
Speaking during an inspection tour of the project’s testing phase, Ruto affirmed: “We have built a new intake that will ensure water flows to the farms, and we have agreed with stakeholders to commence production.”
The President’s visit came as the infrastructure project worth Sh519.4 million neared completion.
The finished components include a 753-metre input canal, a 450 million-litre reservoir, a 1,210-metre outlet canal, and a 20 million-litre off-take sump.
The completion of construction works at the Galana-Kulalu Food Security Project's siltation basin and water canal marks a significant milestone in actualising the long-awaited food production initiative.
— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) May 16, 2025
The Sh519.4 million infrastructure is now undergoing final testing. It… pic.twitter.com/ozzcRB3H9v
President Ruto stated that the revival of Galana Kulalu is critical to his administration’s overall agricultural transformation program.
Ruto argues that his administration’s goals are to increase food production, generate job opportunities, raise value addition, and assist agro-processing for export.
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He unveiled plans to build a huge dam near the Tana River to expand irrigation in the region, providing year-round farming and climate-resilient food production.
President Ruto, along with top government officials and private sector stakeholders, toured the project site, including the recently finished water intake.
He also stated that cultivation by Selu Africa Limited would commence next week.
President Ruto’s statements reflect a newfound commitment to realizing the full potential of Galana Kulalu, a project that had been blocked for years due to criticism, bureaucracy, and mismanagement.
EXPLAINER: Why Ruto Privatised Galana Kulalu Project Despite Public Outrage
