Calls grow for improved implementation of Kenya’s water governance reforms

The discussions underscored a persistent gap between policy design and execution, with participants warning that weak institutional coordination continues to undermine access to reliable water despite years of investment in infrastructure and regulatory reforms.

Cabinet Secretary for Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Eng. Eric Mugaa said the sustainability of reforms is increasingly threatened by structural and governance challenges, including financing constraints and political interference.

“Inadequate financing and political interference remain major challenges,” Mugaa said, calling for stronger safeguards to protect water governance institutions and ensure accountability in the sector.

The Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Henk Jan Bakker, noted that while Kenya has developed a strong legal and policy foundation for water management, the priority now lies in effective implementation.

“Kenya must now move from frameworks to implementation,” he said, urging a shift toward delivering tangible results for communities.

World Wide Fund for Nature-Kenya (WWF-Kenya) Chief Executive Officer Jackson Kiplagat said water security remains central to Kenya’s development agenda, stressing the need for stronger inter-institutional coordination.

He noted that BWRCs play a key role in advancing integrated water resources management and improving sustainability at basin level.

“Water security remains central to Kenya’s sustainable development agenda,” he said.

The five-year Catchment to Tap Programme has supported Water Resource Users Associations (WRUAs), improved access to water for households and livestock, and strengthened citizen science initiatives aimed at enhancing water quality monitoring and community-level data use.

County representatives at the forum emphasized the need for full integration of devolved governments into basin governance structures, arguing that counties remain central to frontline water service delivery and long-term sustainability of interventions.

Water Services Providers Association Chair Thomas Odongo called for stronger coordination across institutions within the sector to enhance efficiency and service delivery.

“Water service delivery depends on collaboration between BWRCs, WRUAs, and providers,” he said.

Kenya Water and Sanitation Civil Society Network (KEWASNET) Chief Executive Officer Malesi Shivaji highlighted the importance of inclusivity, noting that community participation is essential for effective and equitable water governance.

“BWRCs are among the most inclusive governance institutions under the Water Act,” she said.

Water Resources Authority Chief Executive Officer Mohammed Shurie said ongoing legal reforms to the Water Act 2016 are expected to address structural gaps that have slowed the operationalisation of BWRCs.

“Amendments to the Water Act have been submitted to Parliament,” he said, expressing optimism that clearer mandates will accelerate implementation.

Stakeholders concluded that BWRCs remain central to resolving water allocation disputes, improving coordination, and ensuring equitable access across river basins, as attention now shifts from policy formulation to strengthening execution and accountability in Kenya’s water sector.