Kenya, Uganda sign Sh17billion seal for cross-border water project

Mukur residents in Tiaty, Baringo County draw water at a water project sponsored by First Lady Rachel Ruto on December 21, 2023. [Photo, Standard]

Kenya and Uganda have signed a bilateral agreement to implement a mega water project to improve the economy of the two countries.

The Angololo Water Resources Development Project (AWRDP), a major transboundary initiative, aims to improve food security, clean water access, power generation, job creation, and regional integration.

Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Eric Muga and Uganda's Environment Minister Beatrice Atim presided over the signing of the agreement in Busia.

The development is a major milestone for a project conceptualised in 2015 and implemented in partnership with the Nile Basin Initiative through its Equatorial Lakes Subsidiary Action Program (NELSAP).

The CS said the AWRDP will cost an estimated USD 137 million (approximately Sh17 billion) and will benefit over 300,000 people across Busia and Bungoma counties in Kenya and Tororo, Namisindwa, and Manafwa districts in Uganda.

"This project will not only supply clean water but will also irrigate over 4,000 hectares of land, almost evenly split between the two countries. It will improve food production, boost aquaculture, and generate up to 21.3MW of clean energy from hydro and solar sources," said CS Muga.

He noted that 30 per cent of the degraded upstream catchment area covering 447 square kilometers will be restored, further contributing to environmental conservation efforts.

"More than 4,000 hectares of land will be irrigated, contributing to food security in both countries and regions, as 47 percent hectares will be in Kenya and 53 percent being in Uganda, adding that there will be restoration of 30 percent of the 447 square kilometers of degraded upstream catchment area," he added.

Uganda's Environment Minister Beatrice Atim hailed the initiative as a model of African cooperation and urged residents to conserve the environment and protect water sources.

"We must treat this project as our own. It's time to benefit from our resources without waiting for others to dictate solutions. Home-grown collaboration is the way forward," she said.

Teso North MP Oku Kaunya welcomed the development, saying it would be a game-changer for communities in both countries, especially in agriculture and energy access.

The project, which aligns with Kenya's Vision 2030 and Uganda's Vision 2040, was first identified in 2010.

Tendering and construction are scheduled for the 2026/2027 financial year, with full operation expected by 2030.