• EU gives Water Sector Trust Fund Sh2 billion to finance water projects for Asal counties
• In the deal, state will contribute Sh453 million and counties Sh348 million
Image: FILE
Water Cabinet Secretary Simon Chelugui yesterday asked the Water Sector Trust Fund to set aside money for emergencies.
“The Water Sector Trust Fund should start a fund – approximately Sh2 billion that will be used during emergencies such as drought. When such emergencies are declared we should be able to respond on time,” Chelugui said.
The CS spoke at Crowne Plaza Hotel in Nairobi during a ceremony to sign a financial deal between the European Union and eight counties from the arid and semi-arid areas.
Governors Charity Ngilu (Kitui), Amason Kingi (Kilifi), John Lonyangapuo (West Pokot), Stanley Kiptis (Baringo) and Joseph Ole Lenku (Kajiado) attended.
The EU has awarded the institution Sh2 billion for eight counties specifically meant to fund infrastructure for improved water supply and sanitation.
In the agreement, the national government contribute Sh453 million while counties will contribute Sh348 million.
Other counties that will benefit from the deal are Samburu, Mandera and Taita Taveta.
Chelugui said water availability was an enabler of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Big Four agenda and called on counties to prioritise projects.
“At the national level, we are rolling out massive water projects that are distributed across the country. Several dams are coming up and all these are meant to address water coverage," Chelugui said.
He urged counties to work hand in hand with the national government to achieve flagship projects by 2022.
The five governors urged the Water Sector Trust Fund to ensure the funds are wired to counties as soon as possible. They said the agreement was to be rolled out last year.
“Let the funds come directly to the counties. We do not want to see the money held in Nairobi,” Kiptis said.
“This programme is one year late and, therefore, we want the funds that were meant for last year to be disbursed with those of this year,” Lonyangapuo said.
Kingi said the challenge of accessing the funds on time was the long government bureaucracies.
(Edited by R.Wamochie)