By Sandra Blessing
Development of water and sanitation infrastructure in Kisumu City through the partnership of both the French and Kenyan governments will meet the city’s demand in the next 20–30 years.
Cabinet Secretary for Water and Irrigation, Eric Mugaa, said the French government, through its development partners, was injecting approximately Sh10.5 billion into improving water systems and expanding last-mile connectivity in Kisumu City.
“The ongoing project, once completed, will be worth several billions of shillings. Phase one is nearing completion. The second phase, which is ready for groundbreaking, will focus on intensifying last-mile water connectivity not only within Kisumu but also in surrounding satellite towns.
The next phase will also include the construction of storage tanks, as well as sewerage and water supply systems,” he said.
The LVWATSAN Programme is being implemented in Kisumu by the Lake Victoria South Water Works Development Agency (LVSWWDA), a parastatal under the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation.
The objective of Works Package 2 Lot 1 is to extend and enhance water supply coverage in Kisumu City and the satellite town of Maseno.
On completion, the project will connect an additional 25,000 households, benefiting approximately 150,000 people.
This will also increase water coverage in Kisumu City from the current 78 per cent to 91 per cent.
Key components of the package include laying of approximately 156 km of new water pipeline within Kisumu City and construction of about 25 km of pipeline in Maseno Township.
Construction of new water storage infrastructure totalling 1.45 million litres, distributed to Obwolo reservoir, Bukna, Maseno Town and Maseno Market.
Rehabilitation of one existing borehole and construction of one new borehole in Maseno Township.
This infrastructure development is expected to significantly improve access to clean and reliable water, thereby enhancing the quality of life and supporting socio-economic growth in the region.
Eng Mugaa, together with the AFD Director for Africa, Ms Sandra Kassab, and the Ambassador of France to Kenya, H.E. Arnaud Suquet, Kisumu Governor Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o and Chief Executive Officer of LVSWWDA, Ms Jackline Kemunto, officially launched the second works package (Works Package 2 Lot 1) under the Lake Victoria Water and Sanitation (LVWATSAN) Programme.
The CS thanked the French government for its continued support in enhancing water supply and sanitation infrastructure in Kisumu City.
“The ultimate goal is to ensure that every household in Kisumu has access to a reliable and safe water supply.
As we look ahead, we will be launching new water projects in Kisumu to strengthen this long-standing cooperation,” he said.
He also announced ongoing plans to design and conceptualise the expansion of the Dunga Water Treatment Plant, aiming to boost its capacity significantly.
In addition, the Nyalenda Sewerage Treatment Plant is set for rehabilitation under the same partnership.
He also noted that the partnership includes training programmes for water sector personnel to improve service delivery.
Ambassador Suquet said the partnership has already enabled over 2.5 million households to access clean water across the country.
’Nyong’o, said there was an urgent need for increased water connections in peri-urban areas, which were witnessing rapid population and infrastructural growth.
“Our vision goes beyond solving today’s issues. We are focused on building a sustainable Kisumu for future generations,” Nyong’o stated.
The governor also credited the successful implementation of the first Kisumu Urban Project (KUP) to the partnership with the French government, expressing optimism for continued collaboration.
“Provision of clean water to wananchi coupled with good sanitation systems remain our Administration’s delivery priority.
Today, I had the honour of hosting H.E. Arnaud Suquet, the French Ambassador to Kenya and Somalia, Eng. Eric Mugaa, Cabinet Secretary for Water, Sanitation and Irrigation and Ms Sandra Kassab, Africa Director of the French Development Agency (AFD), on service delivery to great people of Kisumu.
We held productive discussions on strengthening investments in water and sanitation with a focus on the Lake Victoria Water and Sanitation (LVWATSAN) Programme and the Kenya Towns Sustainable Water Supply and Sanitation Programme (KTSWSSP).
These flagship projects, implemented by the Lake Victoria South Water Works Development Agency and jointly financed by the Government of Kenya, the African Development Bank, and AFD. The 3 entities are mobilising nearly Ksh. 15 billion to transform Kisumu’s water sanitation and infrastructure.
We ground broke for LVWATSAN phase 2 of Lot 1 of the project, the new Obwolo reservoir where more than 650,000 residents are assured of access to clean safe water by the year 2031,” he wrote on his Facebook page.
