20 Dec 7th East Africa Water Summit

From 30th November to 2nd December 2022, LVNWWDA joined other stakeholders in the water sector and beyond e.g., representatives from the whole of East Africa, the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation, the East African Business Council, WIWAS, Kenya Water Industry Association, UNICEF, KIPYA etc. at the 7th East Africa Water Summit (EAWATERS) held at Kenya Water Institute (KEWI) South C, Nairobi. The Water Secretary Eng. SAO Alima represented the Cabinet Secretary, Hon. Alice Wahome during the official opening of the event.

In a keynote address that was read by the Water Secretary, CS Hon. Alice Wahome outlined the objectives of the 7th East Africa Water Summit (EAWATERS) under the 2022 Theme: “Sustainable Water Resources & Sanitation Development for social-Economic Transformation”, was to engage Water and Sanitation stakeholders from across the East African region on these realities, to avoid the disastrous consequences of the threats and lead to a future where the full potential of East Africa’s water resources can be readily unleashed to stimulate and sustain growth in the region’s economic development and social well-being.

Additionally, to protect the dignity of Kenyans, the CS noted that the Sanitation Policy was finalised and ready for debate in Parliament. The Policy encourages decentralization of sanitation system and city-wide planning. Improper treatment of wastes leads to pollution of our water resources.

To accelerate the achievement of sustainable development goal six (6), the 7th East Africa Water Summit (EAWATERS) seeked to meet the objectives below:

• Ensure sustainable access to safe and adequate water supply and sanitation to meet the basic needs of all;
• Effective and sustainable strategies for addressing natural and man-made water-resources problems, including climate variability and change;
• Ensure political will, public awareness, and commitment among all for sustainable, water-resources management, including the mainstreaming of gender issues and youth concerns; and
• the use of participatory approaches, ensure sufficient water for food, energy and security;
• Water for sustaining ecosystems and biodiversity is adequate in quantity and quality;
• Water basins serve as a basis for regional cooperation and development, and are treated as natural assets for all within such basins;
• Institutions that deal with water resources have been reformed to create an enabling environment for effective and integrated management of water in national and transboundary water basins, including management at the lowest appropriate level;
• Water is financed and priced to promote equity, efficiency, and sustainability

The CS urged participants to acknowledge new ways of thinking about water and establish a new form of regional cooperationto enable partnership and solidarity between countries that share common water basins.

Expectations from the summit included the private sector, which exhibited innovative products and technologies, to use their financial leverage to invest in the water sector, to plug in the sector budget deficit and also continue making products tailored to eliminate inefficiencies in the water sector through compliance with relevant standards.

Moreover, the CS reported that the governments’ commitment in providing an enabling and conducive environment for the private sector to invest in order to enhances growth in service delivery through the Public Private Partnership.

CS Wahome urged the Summit to explore policy options that can be integrated to the current policy development to improve governance of the water sector within the framework of devolution. Furthermore, she called upon the stakeholders to look into modalities of closing the ever widening financial and investment gap as well as application of appropriate technological innovations to enhance delivery of water services, increase efficiency of use while conserving to the extent possible water catchment areas.

On the second day of the Summit, LVNWWDA’s Chief Manager Finance and Resource Mobilization, CPA Anthony Kisaka represented the Agency in a panel discussion on Financing Instruments for Paradigm Shift in Water Sector Finance. Mr. Ibrahim Oluoch- The Principal Environmental Officer at LVNWWDA presented on sustainable strategies for addressing depletion of Water resources-pollution, Environmental degradation and deforestation.

Other members of the team from LVNWWDA were: the Chairman Board of Directors Hon. Julius Bakasa Wasike, HSC, Directors Samuel Kiptorus, Zipporah Matasi, Oliver Kiverenge, John Masaba, Anne Chilande, Ag.CEO Eng. Samson Peter Gongi, Corporation secretary Elizabeth K Ngala, CPA Anthony Kisaka, Principal Communications Officer- Frank Owen Wafula, Principal Environmental Officer- Mr. Ibrahim Oluoch and the Legal Officer- Wislen Chepkemboi.