The Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation (MoWSI) Wednesday launched the Horn of Africa Ground water for Resilience Project (HoAGW4RP) with an aim of increasing the sustainable access and management of ground water in the Horn of Africa borderlands.
Launching the project in Nairobi, the Cabinet Secretary MoWSI Ms. Alice Wahome disclosed that the program started two years and shall run for six years.
Wahome added that the 135 million US dollar project is sponsored by the World Bank and shall be implemented by her ministry, targeting five Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALS).
She said the targeted counties namely Turkana, Marsabit, Mandera, Wajir and Garissa where approximately 1.5 million people will benefit from the project.
“We know the dire situation that Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Djibouti, Eritrea and IGAD are going through hence we will focus full attention to overcome this,” said Wahome.
Speaking during the launch, Principal Secretary MoWSI Mr. Kipronoh Ronoh said that he’ll be in charge of the implementation and facilitation of the program.
“We are looking at reviewing our budget and programs so that we address the emergencies and make them a priority as we launch this program so that we work towards its betterment,” said Ronoh
In his remarks, Wajir Governor, Ahmed Abdullahi expressed the dire state of the arid region stating that they repair 10 to 15 boreholes daily.
He urged the government to fast-track the implementation of HOAGW4RP to improve the lives of those affected by drought, especially in the semi-arid regions. “We are currently doing water trucking in Wajir where so far 155 settlements have benefited,” said Abdullahi.
The Kenya component is divided into four whereby it is expected that more than 400 boreholes shall be rehabilitated and ground water management and development strategy formulated.
By Trepher Leslie and Elizabeth Mugo
