- The agency will work with other organizations, governments, and communities to address the global water crisis.
- In February, Kenya received Sh15,978,060,000 from USAID for food assistance.
Image: COURTESY
The United States of America partners have pumped Sh12.9 billion in new Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) activities in different parts of the country, especially the Arid and Semi-arid Lands for the year 2023-2027.
Ambassador Meg Whitman said the project dubbed US Global Water Strategy High Priority Plan for Kenya, comes at a time when the country requires funds to mitigate drought owing to the erratic weather patterns.
She noted that sustainable provision of affordable water and sanitation services particularly for communities in ASAL areas and the growing number of informal settlements was a significant challenge.
Whitman said the project which is being implemented through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) came at the right time because the country was experiencing the worst drought on record with no sign of significant rains coming anytime soon.
She said the main objective of the project was to enhance health, prosperity, stability and resilience by providing sustainable and equitable water resources management as well as ensuring access to safe drinking water, sanitation services and hygiene practices.
Speaking during the launch of the Kenya WASH Country Plan, she promised that clean water and sanitation facilities in Kenya would be enhanced over the next five years.
She said the US government through USAID’s investments will increase access to basic or improved water services for 1.6 million people.
"More than 20 million Kenyans still lack access to safe drinking water, affecting poor and rural populations disproportionately," said Whitman.
The Ambassador who was accompanied by Water and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome among other dignitaries noted that water insecurity and lack of sanitation and hygiene products continued to risk development gains in health, economic growth and political stability.
She observed that water scarcity was perpetuating gender and economic inequalities.
"Secure access to water gives girls the opportunity to go to school and women the chance to go to work," she said.
Whitman added that scarcity of water was a cause or an accelerator of conflict in Kenya, the Horn of Africa and other countries in the continent.
“Water promotes democracy, cooperation and peace all of which are critical for the acceleration of economic growth that Kenya needs to propel itself to the next level of development,” she said.
She added that water also made it possible to grow food to feed the world, run businesses, and keep people healthy.
Whitman said the investments in water projects would prioritize reaching people who have never had access to water and sanitation while at the same strengthening the capacity of institutions responsible for delivering high-quality and equitable climate-resilient services.
She said the US Global Water Strategy that was launched today with more than $100 million in United States government investments would also leverage resources to help governments and local partners lead on sustainable water solutions.
She said the project was finding new ways to address water insecurity and accelerate efforts to address the management of water resources.
"The United States is expanding investments in northeast Kenya where Usaid is working with the U.S. Geological Survey to map groundwater resources," said Whitman.
She said the project's scope would include training local authorities to expand service provision, especially in arid regions where water pumps often have low productivity.