- The counties will engage in actions to sustainably manage water catchment areas within their respective jurisdictions
- They also resolved to regulate and guide the protection of water sources from adverse effects including fluctuating water quantity, declining water quality, and encroachment to riparian areas and wetlands
Image: HANDOUT
Three counties have committed to roll out major initiatives aimed at restoring water catchment areas in the lake region.
Nandi, Vihiga and Kisumu will engage in actions to sustainably manage water catchment areas within their respective jurisdictions.
“We, Nandi, Vihiga and Kisumu counties do at this moment commit to establish a joint water resource facility geared towards pooling resources from respective counties and development partners to increase resource envelope and allocation to water resources management by at least 2.5% of line department budget in the respective counties,” part of the commitments reads.
The commitments were read by the acting CEC for Water, Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change Judith Oluoch after a three-day walk dubbed 'Journey of water.'
Oluoch, who is also the CEC member for the Department of Public Service, said her county will in collaboration with other stakeholders support the establishment of the Basin Water Resource Committees in the Lake Region.
“We will create enabling policies that strengthen the implementation of Integrated Water Resources Management and foster collective action and support water utilities to invest in catchment restoration for enhanced water yield and water quality for improved water services.”
The three counties also agreed to develop a joint catchment management plan by establishing a responsive framework for collaborative synergy to deliver integrated catchment management and advance catchment partnerships for sustainable water resources management.
The devolved units also resolved to regulate and guide the protection of water sources from adverse effects including fluctuating water quantity, declining water quality, and encroachment to riparian areas and wetlands among other areas of collaboration.
They agreed to establish an institutional framework at Lake Region Economic Bloc for effective stakeholder participation- with a set of principles to guide the planning process of catchment protection.
The third edition of the Journey of Water campaign for River Kibos kicked off in Nandi. The perilous campaign began at the catchment area for River Kibos. The river has tributaries in the three counties.
As part of enhancing the protection of water catchment areas within Nandi, the Water Ministry announced that there are several initiatives aimed at ensuring that communities at the catchment are given water.
Despite being home to Lake Victoria, the world’s second-largest freshwater lake, over 500,000 residents struggle to access clean water.
At the catchment, the water is sparklingly clean. But as it meanders downstream, human activities interfere with the quality of water.
The walk was held to educate residents on the need to jealously guard this resource. Over 600 Kenyans joined the walk to promote sustainable water use.
During the three-day journey along the river course, participants identified the challenges facing the water body, which was then followed by a conference by partners and stakeholders.
On the first day, participants trekked seven kilometres through the middle catchment of the River Kibos basin.
The walk started in Kapchorwa and ended at the confluence where the Nyangori River, a major tributary, meets the Kibos.
The second day of the walk took participants through the middle catchment of River Kibos.
They walked alongside the course of River Nyangori, which snakes through Nandi and Vihiga.
One of the positive things noted during the second leg of the walk is the widespread establishment of on-farm woodlots.
A woodlot is a tract of land, usually restricted and maintained privately, to provide wood for use as timber, posts or fuel.
The presence of woodlots has increased the tree cover and diversified sources of livelihoods.
However, on the negative side, there was widespread sand harvesting and riparian encroachment, including the planting of eucalyptus trees along river banks.
The last leg of the walk saw participants walk to the confluence where the tributary Nyangori meets River Kibos.
The walk was held as an Intergovernmental Water Sector Coordination Framework is set to become operationalised.
The framework is about enhancing collaboration between national and county governments while the Basin Water Resources Committees are about bringing together key stakeholders within the Basins.
The framework is critical for water conservation because it represents all stakeholders, from the national and county governments to the communities living within the basins, among others.
Similarly, the ministry is engaging with stakeholders on modalities of establishing the Basin Water Resources Committees.
Since its inception in 2022, the campaign has raised awareness about water conservation and the importance of protecting rivers and water sources.
Last year, the campaign began at the foot of Mount Kenya in Ewaso Nyiro North.