Cabinet Secretary for Water and Irrigation Eugene Wamalwa has expressed concerns of funding gaps that are apparent in the sector.
Speaking on Monday when he officially opened the inaugural Kenya Water Week at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), Wamalwa said there is an annaul financing gap of Sh60 billion required for the sector to achieve its Vision 2030 goals.
“There exists a huge funding gap in the sector. For example, for sector sustainability in water service provision (water supply, on site sanitation and sewerage services) to be achieved in 2030, an investment of about Sh1,800 billion is required as per the National Master Water Plan 2030 of October 2013,” said the CS.
“Only Sh600 billion is available for investment until 2030. There is still therefore a financing gap of Sh1,172 billion which hinders the water sector from achieving Vision 2030 goals. The sector faces an annual financing deficit of Sh60 billion,” he added.
The Water Week, themed From Aid to Trade: Enhancing Business Partnerships & Innovation for Sustainable Water and Sanitation provision in Africa, therefore underscores the country’s desire to catalyse national priorities as stipulated in the 2010 Constitution and Kenya’s Vision 2030 development blueprint.
The Vision envisages a Kenya transformed from a water scarce country to one in which every Kenyan has access to clean water and adequate sanitation in the next 14 years.
The Water and Irrigation Ministry Permanent Secretary Prof HK Segor said that the reforms in the water services sub-sector will ensure formalization of service provision for all citizens in order to fulfill human rights, water supply and safe sanitation.
He said the sector has also developed a financing mechanism for extending services to the underserved poor areas, as well as to promote up-scaling of low cost and innovative technologies to help utility organizations to reach millions with clean water and basic sanitation.