Eldoret – 10th November 2025 (Public Communication and Media Relations)
The County Department of Water Services, in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), has organized a five-day workshop for board members and senior management team of the three water utilities to strengthen governance and enhance institutional sustainability.
The workshop titled “Governance and Strategic Management for Sustainability of Water Utilities,” is part of ongoing efforts to professionalize water service delivery in the county. With facilitators from the Kenya Water Institute (KEWI), the workshop aims to address capacity gaps in management, leadership, governance, financial planning, regulations, and sustainable practices.
The training seeks to equip participants with the tools needed to effectively govern the three county-owned utilities Kakuma, Kalobeyei, Letea and Lopur, Water and Sanitation Company (KALWASCO), Turkana Urban Water and Sewerage Company (TUWASCO) and Turkana Rural Water and Sanitation Company (TURWASCO).
Speaking on the first day of the workshop, County Executive for Finance and Economic Planning Roseline Aite emphasized that governance is not just a slogan but should be a daily practice for public institutions.
“We must ensure our water utilities have the capacity, leadership and systems to deliver water efficiently and equitably, even in the most challenging environments,” she said.
She added that the training complements the county’s ongoing initiatives under the Kalobeyei Integrated Socio-Economic Development Plan (KISEDP) that promotes integrated service delivery for both refugees and host communities.
In his opening remarks, Dr Leiro Letangule, CEO of KEWI, underscored the importance of strengthening governance through enhanced responsibility, accountability, fairness, and transparency within water utilities.
“Newly established water utilities are transitioning from humanitarian-run systems to government-managed structures. It is crucial to build their capacity to effectively provide these critical services,” he noted.
This transition aligns with the Shirika Plan currently being implemented in refugee-hosting counties such as Turkana and Garissa. The Department of Refugee Services defines the plan as “a multi-year initiative aimed at promoting the socio-economic inclusion of refugees in Kenya by transforming camps into integrated settlements for both refugees and asylum seekers.”
Dr Atsushi Hanatani, JICA Nexus Advisor to the Department of Refugee Services, highlighted the strategic decision of JICA to support the County Department of Water Services, noting that “water is life” and host community support is indispensable to promote refugee inclusion.
He explained that JICA and KEWI have jointly developed a customized training curriculum to strengthen water governance and management capacity.
According to Godfrey Ikone Akolong, Director of WASH Services (KISEDP), the training supports the institutional transition under both KISEDP and the Shirika Plan that emphasize inclusive and efficient service delivery systems.
“We are all aware that population growth, climate change, and resource constraints are placing new demands on how we manage and govern our utilities,” he said.
The lead facilitator and JICA-KEWI coordinator, Walter Moseti, explained that the training aims to equip participants with the knowledge and skills to manage their utilities sustainably, ensuring that services benefit both host and refugee communities.
Among the three utilities, KALWASCO has a unique mandate to serve both host and refugee populations. Acting Managing Director Fridah Nyanga Lomuria expressed hope that the training would assist board members better understand their governance roles and responsibilities.
“For the senior management team, this is an opportunity to strengthen our ability to deliver services, manage staff, monitor operations, and mobilize resources effectively,” she said.
Others in attendance were representatives from JICA Kenya Office, Department of Refugee Services, Peace Wings Japan and Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation.
This workshop marks the fourth in a series of nine sessions planned under the customized KEWI curriculum. It is designed to build the technical and governance capacity of the county’s water utilities over the coming months.
