By PSCU
President Uhuru Kenyatta today unveiled government plans to implement the strategic water storage programme that will increase the number of Kenyans connected to safe piped water by nine million people by 2022.
The massive country-wide programme will additionally increase the proportion of households with access to safe drinking water from 60 to 80% in the next five years with a special focus on informal settlements and arid areas, said the president.
He spoke at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) Nairobi, where he launched the Ministry of Water and Sanitation’s Rapid Results Initiative (RRI) cycle 2018.
The president said the provision of water to Kenyans was an underlying enabler for the attainment of his administration’s Big Four development agenda “which is the future I see.”
Besides the water reservoirs, President Kenyatta announced that the Kenya Towns Sustainable Water Supply and Sanitation Program - supported by the African Development Bank - will soon be launched in 22 urban centres across 28 counties.
President Kenyatta said under the water strategic programme, the construction of Itare and Siyoi Muruny Dams in Nakuru and West Pokot Counties have commenced while others like Thwake (Kitui) and Thiba (Kirinyaga) dams are in their final stages of stakeholder engagement.
Later in the year, said the Head of State, Mwache dam (Kilifi)-with a supply capacity of 186,000 cubic metres of water per day - will be launched to address shortages in Mombasa, Kwale and Kilifi counties.
Additionally, plans to implement the Mzima 11 (two) pipeline are at an advanced stage to supply 105,000 cubic meters of water per day to Taita Taveta and other coastal regions, said President Kenyatta.
Other dams to be launched soon under the new strategic program are Bosto (Bomet), Bonyunyu (on Kisii and Nyamira borders) and Karemenu 11 in Kiambu.