Kenya requires Ksh.189.9 billion annually for universal water access

The government of Kenya needs Ksh.189.9 billion to ensure universal access to water and sanitation services.

Water and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary (CS) Zachariah Njeru intends to mobilize this capital from private equity, through public-private partnerships as well as blended financing, when Kenya hosts the Water and Sanitation Investors conference.

According to the ministry, Kenya requires Ksh.236 billion and Ksh.365 billion beyond the current budgetary allocation for urban water supplies and sanitation services respectively, areas that present investment opportunities with the government seeking to use the conference to showcase viable investment opportunities in the sector.

"It is crucial for the government, private sector, and development partners to collaborate in mobilizing the required resources. There are investment opportunities in other various sub-sectors, including irrigation, non-revenue water management, water harvesting and storage," said CS Njeru.

"Irrigation is critical in agriculture, with an estimated potential of 1.9-3 million acres in Kenya. However, only 29 percent of this potential has been developed, and just 5.8 percent of the country's arable land is equipped with irrigation infrastructure."

The government further says it intends to complete the construction of 100 dams in the next five years with 56 sites already established across the country where at least 33 investors have tabled offers to construct dams even as the government promises that the investors will recoup their moneys upon completion.

"We are now in the process of designing and costing them so that we may know the exact amount that is going to go for it. So it is a process that is ongoing and the attracting of 33 investors is a very good indication that this is something that will succeed," said Water PS Julius Korir.

Through the water fund, the government notes it has been able to mobilise over Ksh.40 billion to finance water-related projects even as it seeks to increase their revenue mobilisation to over Ksh.50 billion in the medium term.