The government is seeking Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to enhance essential infrastructure in the provision of water, Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome has said.
Wahome explained that the PPP approach would attract the financing required by the government in constructing dams across the nation.
“We have 50 million Kenyans who need water, and we need infrastructure. This is why we are adopting the PPP model as we have a huge financing gap,” the CS told MPs.
She had appeared before National Assembly’s Committee on Blue Economy, Water, and Irrigation.
MPs were apprehensive that investor-driven efforts to recoup monies could result in elevated water prices, thus negatively affecting the Kenyan population.
The committee led by Marakwet East MP David Bowen asked Ministry to protect citizens from potential cost hikes.
The CS assured that the adoption of the PPP model would indeed lead to cost reduction.
She elaborated on the model's capacity to optimise the water framework, reduce water leaks, and mitigate substantial losses of water resources.
She emphasized that by implementing effective infrastructure and conservation strategies, the country could experience a reduction in the overall cost of water.
Wahome pointed out that County Governments should be responsible for last mile connectivity, but the committee was not in agreement.
The committee said counties do not have the capacity to uptake the responsibility in the devolved water service.
They voiced their apprehension, suggesting that the National Government should initially manage this aspect before transitioning it to the County Governments.
The Vice-Chair Marwa Kitayama (Kuria East) told the Ministry to involve county governments in the PPP model to help with the uptake of the devolved water services.
