Over 5, 000 delegates are expected to converge in Kisumu City in June 2024 for this year’s Kenya Sanitation Governance and Exhibition Conference.
The forum will bring together key stakeholders in the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector from Kenya and around the world to deliberate on the prevailing challenges and share good practices.
Participants will also formulate strategies to accelerate the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 that requires governments to ensure availability of clean and potable water.
Organized by the Water and Sanitation Providers Association (WASPA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Water and Irrigation, County Government of Kisumu and Kisumu Water and Sanitation Company (KIWASCO), the conference will take stock of the gains made in enhancing access to clean drinking water and sanitation solutions across the country.
WASPA Chief Executive Officer Antony Ombugo who paid a courtesy call on Kisumu Deputy Governor Dr. Mathews Owili said preparations for the conference were in top gear.
Ombugo said key stakeholders including national and county governments agencies have confirmed attendance adding that the organizers were set to deliver a world class conference.
The conference comes amidst concerns over the slow pace in the implementation of the SDG goal 6 globally.
According to the United Nation (UN), 1 in 4 people globally lack safely managed drinking water in their homes while nearly half of the world’s population lacks safely managed sanitation with only 6 years remaining to the year 2030.
Kenya’s progress towards achieving the SDG goal 6 has also been slow, with only 60% and 20% water and sanitation coverage respectively.
Sewerage is currently available to only 3.9 million people in 26 counties in the country with two thirds of this living in Nairobi City County.
By Chris Mahandara
