Eldoret – 12th November 2025 (Public Communication and Media Relations)
The County Department of Water Services has partnered with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to hold a first-ever governance workshop for the three water utilities to enhance transparency and accountability in their operations.
The five-day workshop brings together board members and senior management teams from 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). The training curriculum was developed and facilitated by officers from Kenya Water Institute (KEWI).
The workshop’s sessions will cover management functions, management red flags and leadership styles, principles of good governance, roles and responsibilities of board members and top management, ethics and integrity in governance, strategic leadership, financial management, implementation and monitoring of strategic plans, sustainability and community engagement.
Speaking during the workshop, County Executive for Finance and Economic Planning, Roseline Aite, noted that the training has provided valuable insights into oversight, stakeholder engagement, and transparency mechanisms that enhance public confidence in county-owned water utilities.
“By encouraging open communication, customer involvement, and regular reporting, utilities can build stronger community ownership, improve revenue collection, and attract development partnerships,” she said.
She added that the governance training will equip board members and managers with the knowledge and tools necessary to ensure the long-term sustainability of water utilities.
“The training focuses on key aspects of good governance that directly contribute to effective and resilient water service delivery,” said the county executive.
So far, participants have covered modules on management functions, Kenya’s water sector structure and mandates, management red flags, and leadership styles. Each Managing Director (MD) also presented an overview of their respective water utilities.
The TURWASCO Chair, Paul Erot Merinyang’, said the training had deepened his understanding of management principles—planning, organizing, leading, and controlling.
“Good management practice is doing things right, while leadership is doing the right thing,” he said.
Running a utility with 82 members of staff, TUWASCO Acting Managing Director Benedict Ekeru, said the sessions helped him realize the importance of adapting his management approach to suit different staff members.
“Understanding the staff, their characters and behaviours, is key to reducing resistance to change and improving performance,” he said.
JICA Nexus Advisor to the Department of Refugee Services, Dr Atsushi Hanatani, highlighted the importance of trust building in realizing viable and self-sustaining utilities.
“This training provides participants, who hold high-level positions, the opportunity to drive change that will strengthen water utilities. For utilities to become viable and self-sustaining, they will need to build trust between the company and its customers, by ensuring reliable service delivery,” he said.
He added that it was even more important for KALWASCO which will need to integrate refugees in Kakuma Camp and Kalobeyei Settlement and turning them into tariff-paying customers.
The integration of refugee and host community water systems is part of broader initiatives under the Shirika Plan, which seeks to promote the socio-economic inclusion of refugees in Kenya.
At the end of the workshop, participants will receive certificates of completion.
