NAIROBI: The World Bank Group has approved Sh5.97 billion ($61.5 million) to enable Kenya improve water security and climate resilience for beneficiaries in the western and Coast regions.
The bank’s executive board yesterday approved $58 million (Sh5.7 billion) credit – an additional financing for restructuring of the Kenya Water Security and Climate Resilience Project approved in June 2013 with a credit of Sh15.2 billion ($155 million). It will also benefit from a grant of Sh343 million ($3.5 million) from the Korea World Bank Group Partnership Facility.
The Government will contribute another Sh568.4 million ($5.8 million) to the project, which will be implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. “The project addresses the needs of a large population of Kenyans who are highly vulnerable to erratic climatic patterns and water scarcity,” said World Bank Country Director for Kenya Diarietou Gaye.
“It will improve the livelihoods of beneficiaries in western and Coast regions through better flood protection, more reliable delivery of drinking water, better management of water resources and climate change adaptation.”
The additional financing will also scale up the activities and establish links with the activities of the Kenya Coastal Water Security and Climate Resilience Programme – a Sh19.6 billion ($200 million) approved in December last year. It aims to improve water and sanitation services in Mombasa, Kwale and other coastal towns.
In western Kenya, the project will involve rehabilitation and improvement of the lower Nzoia dykes to protect about 66,700 people in Siaya and Busia counties from flooding, which frequently occurs during the rainy seasons.
It will also strengthen early warning systems to reduce the impact of floods in the Nzoia River Basin and protect the 4,043 hectare Lower Nzoia Irrigation Scheme already being funded by the project. Interventions at the Coast will include improving water services for 48,000 households in Mombasa through more efficient service delivery.
“The new funding will strengthen devolution by providing complementary and institutional capacity support to devolved water and sanitation functions under the Mombasa County,” said the Project’s Task Team Leader Eileen Burke. “The programme will also enhance distribution networks and help to reduce losses in water supply through district metering associations and other technologies.”
The additional funding will complement the ongoing Sh34.8 billion ($355 million) Water Security and Climate Resilience Programme, to enable the State prepare new investments in the water sector reform and strengthen water sector institutions.
