A launch workshop for the Kenya National Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Program (NUWSSP), financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB), has concluded in Nairobi, clearing the way for nationwide implementation, according to a press release by the African Development Bank. The three-day event, held from 8-10 April, gathered dozens of officials from the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation alongside project management teams from 13 county implementing water agencies. Participants received orientation on fiduciary, environmental and safeguards, gender, monitoring and evaluation, and project management rules. The program is set to impact the lives of millions across the country. It marks a coordinated push to strengthen urban water and sanitation services in Kenya.
The workshop served as a platform for knowledge-sharing discussions among the participating agencies. It was jointly convened by the Bank Group and the Kenya government. Facilitation was led by the Bank’s Water Supply and Sanitation Officers, Lazarus Phiri and Caroline Adhiambo. The Bank Group’s investments in Kenya’s water sector amount to just over $1 billion, or roughly 27% of its total portfolio. This positions the water sector as a central pillar of the Bank’s engagement in Kenya.
Delivering a keynote on behalf of the Bank’s Director General for East Africa, Christopher Mutasa, Lead Investments and Operations Officer, said the project will target 21 towns across 16 counties. Approximately 1.4 million people will benefit from improved access to water supply. A further 500,000 people will gain access to improved and safe sanitation services. The project is expected to increase water supply capacity by 33,600 m³ per day and expand wastewater treatment by 19,300 m³ per day. These gains are intended to support more reliable service delivery across Kenya’s urban centers.
“This project demonstrates the Bank’s continued commitment to supporting the Government of Kenya’s development agenda, particularly in advancing the SDG 6 targets, Kenya’s Vision 2030 and the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA),” Mutasa said. Vision 2030 is the country’s long-term development blueprint, while BETA is Kenya’s development strategy focused on inclusive economic growth. Mutasa urged implementing agencies to strengthen national coordination and ensure compliance with Bank procedures. He also called for accelerated implementation to achieve the intended impact by the project’s completion in 2029. Julius Korir, Principal Secretary, State Department for Water and Sanitation, officially opened the workshop and described the Bank as the water sector’s “preferred partner.”
Korir noted that successful delivery of NUWSSP would depend on strong implementation systems, which formed the workshop’s core focus. “This workshop is where you will acquire the knowledge and skills required for successful delivery of the project,” he said. According to Samwel Alima, Water Secretary at the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation, NUWSSP marks a significant step toward strengthening urban water and sanitation infrastructure. It is also expected to enhance service reliability and advance sustainable development in Kenya’s rapidly growing urban centers. Implementation is scheduled to run through 2029.
