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WETLANDS INTERNATIONAL
Policy Gaps in Coordination of WASH and WRM
the Water Service Providers (WSPs). Turf wars emerge when the County Government develops water supply infrastructure such as boreholes without obtaining abstraction permits from WRA as defined in the Fourth Schedule of the Water Act. This indiscriminate sinking of boreholes has an implication on water quality and quantity in the water-scarce county. Key water governance concerns in Kajiado are related to the conservation and allocation of available water resources to meet human, livestock and wildlife needs. This can be a challenge when policy gaps and overlaps create tension, conflict, confusion or competition between county and national government agencies. There is need to improve collaboration between WRA and the County Government as a matter of policy. This would help align water policy plans and budgets for better resource mobilisation and allocation. WRUAs have a critical role to play in WRM and WASH. They should be self-sustaining, but this is not the case. Only a fraction of water users are signed up members and payment of membership fees is poor. Aligning SCMPs to County Integrated Development Plans (CIDPs) would avail human and financial capital for water resources management and make WRUAs more effective. More awareness of the rights and responsibilities of water users is needed to bridge WRM and WASH. Local administration can support WRUAs in awareness creation and enforcement of regulations under the Chiefs’ Authority Act (Chapter 128) which empowers them to “prevent the pollution of the water in any stream, watercourse or waterhole, and the obstruction of any stream or watercourse”. More collaboration between the County Government and other stakeholders is also needed to enforce WASH.
Robert Owaga - Water Conservation Officer, WRA, Nolturesh-Lumi Sub-Region
Kajiado County produces a lot of water but is classified as a water-scarce area with supply standing at 50 per cent of demand because topographical challenges hinder supply. Indeed, water is the subject of political conflict with the neighbouring and downstream counties of Machakos and Makueni who utilise the bulk of the water from Kajiado. The Water Resources Authority (WRA) is responsible for the collaborative management of water resources, including wetlands, and the resolution of user conflicts at the community level in Kenya (Water Act, 2016). Roles may however overlap where some wetlands are located in areas that fall under the jurisdiction of Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), Kenya Water Towers Agency (KWTA) and Kenya Forest Service (KFS).
Kajiado County Government, on the other hand, is in charge of water distribution through
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