Kakamega Governor Launches Project to Improve Clean Water Access
Mary Owano
Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa has launched a new water project in the Juakali area of Shieywe Ward, aimed at improving access to clean water and reducing non-revenue water in the region.
During the launch, Governor Barasa highlighted that the initiative is a collaboration between the Kakamega County Water and Sanitation Company, the Western Kenya Water Project, and USAID Kenya.
"I want to thank our Mission Director from USAID for partnering with us through the Kakamega County Water and Sanitation Company to achieve last-mile connectivity for water," he said.
Governor Barasa explained that Kakamega has entered into a five-year cooperation with USAID, valued at Sh11 million, to support the project, which is expected to benefit around 5,291 residents by providing access to sustainable and safe drinking water, greatly improving living conditions in Kakamega Municipality.
Kakamega County Governor Fernandes Barasa together with David Gosney, USAID Mission Director in Kenya and East Africa.
David Gosney, USAID Mission Director in Kenya and East Africa, underscored the project's importance in enhancing governance through collaboration with county governments and other key players in the water sector.
"We’ve been here for 60 years, and one of the most important aspects of these partnerships has been in health and water," Gosney told the audience.
He noted a significant reduction in malaria prevalence in Kakamega, a success that he attributed partly to these collaborative efforts.
"I was informed, and statistics support this, that malaria prevalence in Kakamega has been halved—from 30% to about 15%. Previously, 750,000 people in Kakamega were affected by malaria; now, 350,000 are spared that fate," he said.
This nationwide initiative seeks to provide basic drinking water services to over 500,000 Kenyans, enhance water service quality for more than 350,000 Kenyans, and improve water resource management for 300,000 Kenyans.
The project aims to ensure that more Kenyan communities have consistent access to clean water, addressing critical public health and environmental issues.
