PRESIDENT ARRIVING; VARIOUS SHOTS OF KINDARUMA, PRESIDENT OPENING.




Initials MA/V/BHH/ES



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Background: PRESIDENT KENYATTA OF KENYA OPENED ON FRIDAY (JUNE 7) THE FIRST STAGE OF THE SEVEN FORKS HYDRO-ELECTRIC PROJECT. IT'S KNOWN AS THE KINDARUMA DEVELOPMENT WHICH IS COSTING GBP6 1/2 MILLION AND CONSISTS OF A RESERVOIR, A DAM, A POWER STATION AND A LINE LINKING IT TO NAIROBI.

THE WHOLE SEVEN FORCES PROJECT WILL COST GBP37 MILLION AND WHEN COMPLETE WILL PRODUCE HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER TOTALLING 340 MEGAWATTS. THE INITIAL CAPACITY OF THE KINDARUMA SCHEME IS 40.

WORK AT KINDARUMA BEGAN IN 1965. SINCE THEN, THREE QUARTERS OF A MILLION CUBIC YARDS OF EARTH AND ROCK HAVE BEEN EXCAVATED AND 31,000 CUBIC YARDS OF CONCRETE USED.

THE DEVELOPMENT IS IN THE FORM OF A RESERVOIR THREE MILES LONG AND A SPILLWAY CHANNEL 3,000 FEET IN LENGTH, WITH AN AVERAGE WIDTH OF 150 FEET, EXCAVATED IN THE NATURAL VALLEY ACROSS THE BEND IN THE TANA RIVER UPSTREAM OF THE DAM.

THE SPILLWAY HAS ALSO BEEN USED TO DIVERT THE RIVER SO THAT THE DAM BE COULD COMPLETED IN DRY CONDITIONS. IT HAS NOW BEEN REVERTED TO ITS PROPER USE OF DISCHARGING EXCESS WATER BACK INTO THE RIVER.

PRESIDENT KENYATTA SAID AT THE OPENING THAT ELECTRICITY WAS NEED TO SUSTAIN THE COUNTRY-WIDE PATTERN OF KENYA'S RAPID INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS. ELECTRICITY, HE SAID, WOULD HELP TO OVERCOME SOCIAL EVILS, AND THE MISERIES AND HARDSHIPS OF THE PAST. DOMESTIC DRUDGERY WAS GIVING WAY TO COMFORT.