The Water Resources Authority (WRA) has announced a Ksh30 billion investment aimed at strengthening water regulation and increasing access to water across Kenya over the next five years.
The plan, unveiled by Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Engineer Eric Mugaa, aligns with Kenya’s Vision 2030 and the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) to ensure sustainable water management.
CS Mugaa outlined that the strategic plan addresses compliance with water laws, climate resilience, resource mobilization, and building partnerships with stakeholders.
“This blueprint is designed to prioritize essential steps for a prosperous future,” Mugaa noted, emphasizing the focus on water catchment conservation, strengthening WRA’s institutional capacity, and enhancing real-time data collection to better monitor areas prone to flooding.
WRA’s new strategy also seeks to digitize services and implement real-time monitoring systems to support data-driven water management.
Mugaa called for development partners’ collaboration, highlighting that WRA’s success is critical for the broader network of water agencies responsible for county-level service delivery.
Principal Secretary of the State Department of Water and Irrigation, Julius Korir, lauded WRA’s achievements in promoting water security and climate change resilience, noting the current availability of only 106 cubic meters of water per capita against a target of 600 cubic meters.
He stressed the importance of adequate water storage and sustainable groundwater development as mandated by the Water Act of 2016.
Developed as a follow-up to the 2018–2022 strategic plan, WRA’s new blueprint arrives at a crucial time as Kenya faces climate challenges impacting water reserves.
The strategy is integral to supporting BETA’s goal of stimulating industrial and agricultural growth, sectors that rely heavily on water for development.
With global climate shifts affecting water security, the strategic plan is a critical measure toward securing reliable access to water for all Kenyans.
