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Owalo says funding of State entities to be tied to performance

He emphasied the importance of innovation and self-sufficiency among state agencies, urging them to develop independent revenue streams rather than relying solely on the exchequer

Government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) that significantly contribute to the national development agenda will receive increased funding, while underperforming entities risk being phased out.

This is according to Deputy Chief of Staff for Performance and Delivery Management in the Executive Office of the President Eliud Owalo when he announced a strategic shift in government funding, linking performance management and evaluation to financial support.

“Moving forward, we are going to tie performance management and performance evaluation to reward management so that we allocate more money to organizations that add more value to the government’s development agenda,” said Owalo.

He emphasied the importance of innovation and self-sufficiency among state agencies, urging them to develop independent revenue streams rather than relying solely on the exchequer.

“The direction we are taking as a government is that we are not going to have organizations that are perpetually underperforming continue to be a drain on the exchequer. These organisations should be allowed to die their natural deaths,” he cautioned.

He was addressing the National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority (NWHSA) leadership during a performance contract evaluation for the 2023/2024 fiscal year.

During the event, NWHSA board chairman Symon Kimaru highlighted financial constraints as a major hurdle, citing prolonged project timelines and limited fiscal space.

“One of the major challenges we face as an organization is that our projects run for very long periods, and our fiscal space is constantly squeezed. It is not even possible to launch new projects due to budgetary limitations,” he said.

The evaluation will assess NWHSA’s performance against key indicators, including financial stewardship, fund absorption, service delivery, dam construction and supervision, flood control measures, and water supply enhancement.

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Acting CEO Julius K. Mugun reiterated NWHSA’s mandate under the Water Act 2016, which includes developing national public water works for water storage, flood control, and irrigation.

Kenya faces chronic water scarcity, with 80% of the country classified as arid or semi-arid. Annual rainfall averages 630mm, ranging from under 200mm in northern Kenya to over 1,800mm in Mount Kenya’s highlands.

The country’s per capita water availability, estimated at 450 cubic meters in 2021, falls well below the global benchmark of 1,000 cubic meters.

The National Water Master Plan projects a surge in water demand to 47% of available resources by 2030, exacerbated by inadequate water infrastructure and ineffective harvesting policies.

A 2023 UN report underscores global urgency, revealing that 26% of the world’s population lacks access to safe drinking water, while 46% lack safely managed sanitation.

To address these challenges, NWHSA’s 2023-2027 Strategic Plan aims to boost national water storage by 125 million cubic meters through key projects, including Siyoi Muruny Dam (8.9 million cubic meters); Soin Koru Dam (93 million cubic meters); Bosto Dam (18 million cubic meters); Umaa Dam (1.5 million cubic meters); Badasa Dam (2.5 million cubic meters); and Household rainwater harvesting for 100,000 households (1 million cubic meters).

Additionally, the Authority plans to construct 360 small dams and pans (5.4 million cubic meters), drill 203 boreholes (16.24 million cubic meters), and develop 196km of dykes and 45km of river draining structures.

These measures will provide water for domestic, industrial, and agricultural use, irrigating 22,000 acres to enhance food security.

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The government, through NWHSA, has completed several water infrastructure projects, including Maruba Dam (Machakos), Sasumua Dam (serving Nairobi), Kiserian Dam (Kajiado), Nakaetum (Peace) Dam (Turkana), Kalundu Dam (Kitui), and Kirandich & Chemususu Dams (Baringo).

Upcoming projects include Siyoi Muruny (West Pokot), Soin Koru (Kisumu), Umaa (Kitui), Badasa (Marsabit), Bosto (Bomet), Upper Narok (Narok), Isiolo (Ewaso Ng’iro River Basin), Rumuruti (Laikipia), Londiani (Kericho), and Rare (Kilifi).

These are part of Kenya’s Vision 2030 flagship projects, with completed dams already increasing national water storage by 21 million cubic meters and providing portable water to over one million people.

NWHSA has also built or rehabilitated 1,029 small dams and pans in 45 counties, boosting storage by 20.15 million cubic meters, benefitting 2.8 million people, and supporting 3.6 million livestock and wildlife.

Flood control efforts have expanded, with dyke construction and rehabilitation in Budalang’i, Nyando, Garissa, and Tana River basins, significantly mitigating flooding in these regions.

The government remains committed to ensuring water accessibility for all Kenyans by 2030.

Current water coverage stands at 60%, with plans to increase it to 80% by 2027.

“We cannot rely on rain-fed agriculture alone. We must invest in irrigation by harvesting excess rainwater and storing it for future use. This is where NWHSA plays a crucial role in enabling us to achieve our food security goals,” Owalo said.

By aligning funding with performance and prioritising strategic water projects, the government aims to enhance national resilience against climate variability, drive agricultural productivity, and secure Kenya’s water future.

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