Water Allocation Plan launch

Naivasha Stakeholders Set Pace in Water Management in the Country

 

John Nyaoro: Director Water Resources-Ministry of Water and Irrigation, Mohamed Awer:Director WWF Kenya Country Office and Honorable Francis Nyenze :Chairman-WRMA Governing Board during  the Launch of Naivasha Basin Water Allocation Plan at KWST I

 Lake Naivasha Water Allocation Plan, one of its kind in Kenya, was launched yesterday (10^th August, 2011).The Plan seeks to manage the basin’s water resources effectively and efficiently during both the dry and wet periods and to allocate the resource equitably for people, socio economic activities and nature.

The Minister of water and irrigation Charity Ngilu said that the
encroachment of Mt Kenya, Aberdare Ranges, Cherangani hills and Mau
complex is a threat to national water security.

“The encroachment into these water towers for human settlement, agricultural expansion destruction of forest cover has increasingly led to pollution of the existing water sources,”

The minister called for the reversal of the rampant destruction of the water towers and called on politicians and stakeholders to put their efforts together and address the issue.

This was contained in a speech read on her behalf by the director of water resources Mr. John Nyaoro during the launch of the Lake Naivasha Water Allocation Plan at Kenya Wildlife Service Training Institute Naivasha. She also has expressed her concern over the water levels in the troubled Lake Naivasha.

Ngilu said that a study done recently indicated that the lake's basin surface water resources were running low periodically.

She was however optimistic that this would be addressed in the water allocation plan (WAP) and thanked WWF and Lake Naivasha Growers Group for the initiative.

“I am pleased to note that there is goodwill among the water users to save the L. Naivasha water basin resources,”

Engineer Phillip Olum the CEO WRMA in his speech said,

“The plan aims to address water scarcity, demand and inherent possible conflict between various water users. Correspondingly, the water allocation plan provides clear guidelines on how to bring water users abstractions to comply with the water amounts as allocated in their permits and abstraction conditions that all parties are required to adhere to.”

WWF country Director Mr. Mohamed Awer urged the stakeholders in the conservation of the basin to seize all the available opportunities as they avail themselves. He recommended LNGG for initiating the development of the water allocation plan and requested them to continue supporting the implementation of the plan.

Speaking during the function, John Mututho, the Naivasha MP lauded all those involved in the development of the Water Allocation Plan and most importantly commended WWF for a job well done in the conservation of Lake Naivasha and Lake Nakuru the two Ramsar sites in Kenya. He added,

“It’s better to lose some flower farms who fail to comply with the water use regulations and remain with few willing to protect the riparian lands”.

Lake Naivasha has a multifaceted hydrology and is very affluent in biodiversity hence its momentous contribution to Kenya’s social and economic development. Due to these intense and diverse socio-economic activities, the lake Naivasha water resources have been put under enormous pressure.

The plan is a legally binding document formulated by Water Resource Users Associations (WRUAs), Catchment Area Advisory Committee (CAAC) and WRMA.The plan was developed under the requirements of the Water Act 2002 which set out the principles for allocating water and provides an opportunity for the public to actively participate in the management of water resources in the sub catchment areas.

WWF has been working closely with WRMA and continues to support the WRUAs with the internal governance, access to funds and most importantly, WWF is working to negotiate for WRUAs to have stronger roles in Water Resource Management in the Lake Naivasha basin.