On Monday, March 13, the United States, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), announced that it will invest more than Ksh12.9 billion to enhance water, sanitation, and hygiene activities in Kenya.
The US Embassy in Kenya revealed that the project aims to increase access to basic or improved water services for 1.6 million people and provide basic sanitation to 1 million people, requiring roughly Ksh16.8 billion to be injected into the sector.
According to the US government, an additional Ksh77 billion will be required annually to address the global water crisis and attain universal coverage by 2030.
At the launch, high ranking officials attended, including U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman, Water Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome, Head Public health, ministry of health, Susan Koki Mutua, and Nyandarua Governor Badilisha Kiarie.
The US’s timely intervention aimed to curb the water crisis in the country and improve the lives of over 1 million Kenyans, said Whitman.
However, providing sustainable water to households proved to be a significant challenge, particularly due to the growth of informal settlements and those residing in Kenya’s Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) areas.
In addition, the variability in rainfall patterns over the past years further exacerbated the challenge and led to frequent droughts.
The news came as the US provided more than Ksh16 billion in food assistance to curb the unrelenting drought in North Rift region.
