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Parliament Buildings, Tuesday, September 24, 2024
The Blue Economy, Water, and Irrigation Committee, chaired by Hon. Kangogo Bowen (Marakwet East), raised concerns over inconsistencies in the distribution of water projects across Kenya. The issues were discussed during a meeting with Cabinet Secretary for Water, Sanitation, and Irrigation, Mr. Eric Muriithi Mugaa, and Principal Secretary Mr. Julius Korir, as they presented the Budget Implementation for the Financial Year 2023/24.
Committee members noted significant disparities, with some constituencies having several ongoing water projects, while others had none. “How did you identify the projects, and why do some counties have zero projects while others have multiple ongoing ones?” asked Hon. Bowen.
PS Korir explained that many projects, such as community water initiatives and water for schools, were initiated through public participation in areas where residents requested them. These projects were then funded accordingly.
The Committee emphasized the need for equitable distribution of future projects. They also questioned the ministry over budget overruns, with Chief Financial Officer Mr. Kimathi attributing these to reductions in Supplementary Estimates, which had already impacted ongoing projects.
Despite challenges, the ministry reported successes, including an increase in water coverage from 70% in 2022/23 to 73% in 2023/24, and improved access to sanitation, rising from 32% to 33% in the same period.
