By Water East Africa Magazine
Kenya’s long-term water security will depend less on constructing new dams and more on strengthening the governance systems that guide how water resources are managed, allocated and protected, according to stakeholders in the country’s water sector. The call emerged during a high-level dialogue on Basin Water Resource Committees (BWRCs) held in Nairobi as part of the closing activities of the five-year Catchment to Tap (C2T) Programme.
The programme, supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and implemented by WWF-Kenya together with partners, has focused on improving integrated water resources management, strengthening local institutions and enhancing water access through better governance rather than infrastructure alone. Participants at the forum agreed that while Kenya has made significant investments in water infrastructure, sustainable water security ultimately depends on effective institutions, coordinated decision-making and responsible catchment management.
The roundtable brought together representatives from national and county governments, academia, development partners, civil society and the private sector to discuss the operationalisation of Basin Water Resource Committees. These committees are expected to play a central role in coordinating water resource management across river basins, balancing competing water demands and protecting critical catchment areas.
Speaking during the event, WWF-Kenya Chief Executive Officer Jackson Kiplagat emphasised that water security remains fundamental to Kenya’s sustainable development and requires collaboration among all stakeholders. He noted that fully operational Basin Water Resource Committees would strengthen integrated water resources management by improving coordination between institutions responsible for planning, conservation and water allocation.
Cabinet Secretary for Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Eng. Eric Mugaa acknowledged that Kenya has made notable progress in water sector reforms through successive legislative and institutional changes. However, he warned that governance challenges—including inadequate financing, weak institutional coordination and political interference—continue to undermine implementation and the long-term sustainability of reforms.
The Netherlands’ Ambassador to Kenya, Henk Jan Bakker, observed that Kenya already possesses a strong legal and policy framework for water management. He stressed that the priority should now be effective implementation, institutional accountability and greater collaboration among stakeholders to ensure the existing framework delivers tangible improvements in water security.
As the Catchment to Tap Programme concludes, stakeholders are urging policymakers to shift greater attention towards governance reforms, protection of water catchments and strengthening basin-level institutions. They argue that improving coordination and accountability will provide a more sustainable pathway to water security than relying solely on new infrastructure projects, while helping Kenya build resilience against climate change and increasing water demand.