PM embarks on a Nairobi water master plan

Written By:PMPS,    Posted: Tue, Sep 18, 2012

Minister for Water and Irrigation Charity Ngilu said that investing in water is an effort geared towards bettering the lives of Kenyans Prime Minister Raila Odinga says that the government has embarked on a master plan aimed at developing water sources that can meet the needs of the city of Nairobi and its 13 satellite towns upto the year 2035. The PM stated that the move will address a major water supply shortfall that has bedeviled the city for long time. "The water available currently meets a mere 60 per cent of the demands of the City and its satellite towns'', the PM said. He said this Tuesday at the Kenyatta International Conference Center (KICC) when he officially opened the third stakeholders consultative workshop on the water plan for Nairobi and its satellite towns. "The Government has embarked on bold steps to develop water sources that can meet the needs of city and satellite towns up to the year 2035'', remarked the PM. He noted that the situation in Nairobi could have been contained had the previous administrations kept pace with the development of water infrastructure for the city as had been planned 20 years ago. The Premier told the meeting that access to water has been elevated to a human right under article 43(d) of our constitution. Mr.Odinga revealed that the new measures will involve the development of water sources and associated infrastructure in four phases that will cost about a whopping 160 billion Kenya shillings. The funds will be sourced jointly from the Kenyan Government, the World Bank, the French development agency (AFD) and the German government owned Bank (KfW). At the same time, the PM directed agencies involved in catchment management and conservation to ensure full implementation of the National Climate Change Strategy. He said that the strategy provides the framework for sound and sustainable mitigation and adaptation responses. Mr.Odinga explained that the strategy is key in addressing water security in the country at large. "We are keenly aware that droughts have become cyclic and recurring. They need to be managed carefully and mitigated through systematic planning, and development of resilient water infrastructure' 'he said. Minister for Water and Irrigation Charity Ngilu thanked development partners for their support in the water sector. She said that investing in water is an effort geared towards bettering the lives of Kenyans. The Minister assured all stakeholders that the resources provided to her Ministry will be put to good use. Others who addressed the function were French ambassador to Kenya Etienne de Poncins, PS Minister for Water and Irrigation David Stower among other dignitaries.