The government has been urged to reduce time-wasting bureaucratic procedures to attract investors.
The Danish Industry Africa chief executive Sorensen Lars said Kenya may be losing foreign investors to her neighbours as a result of bottlenecks caused by bureaucracy.
He, however, noted that Kenya has a good investment climate, with well-trained human resource.
Lars spoke when he led a delegation of investors and companies from Denmark on a visit of Thika Water and Sewerage Company (Thiwasco) in Kiambu county to assess it's water supply capacity.
"Sometimes the administrative bureaucracy and processes are very slow and cumbersome to an extent that some investors move to other parts of the world. Otherwise Kenya has very good investment opportunities and environment," he said.
Lars said that the Thika water visit focuses on apprenticeship programme, job creation in the Kenyan water sector and green tech transfer from Denmark.
He noted that the Danish Government has invested USD 100 Million in a water infrastructure project that will provide water supply and sanitation to approximately 200,000 Thika residents.
He said Kenya loses 45 per cent is it's processed water and his organisation is working with water producers to improve infrastructure, reduce wastage and increase production capacities.
Water and Sanitation Providers Association of Kenya chief executive officer Anthony Ambugo said the partnership has identified 64 employees who will be trained on how to address the challenges in the sector.
Thiwasco CEO Moses Kinya said nine employees from Thika will benefit from the training that is jointly conducted with the Kenya Water Institute.
It was also revealed that implementation of a mega project expected to end water woes in Thika is taking shape.
The project funded by Danida to a tune of Sh11 billion will increase water production by Thiwasco to 56,000m3 per day.
Kinya said works that will be undertaken include increase of water intakes upstream along Thika and Chania rivers, expansion of the water treatment plant and construction of water storage reservoirs in Ngoingwa, Kimathi and Section 9 estates.
“There will be construction of a 10-metre high dam at Thika 3A location and at water intakes at Thika and Kiama rivers,” he said.
The MD said three sewerage plants will be constructed in Nanga, Pilot and Kilimambogo to improve sanitation.
The plants will improve sewerage connections and increase sewer collection to seven million litres per day.
