REPUBLIC OF KENYA

PRESS RELEASE
OCTOBER 10TH, 2016
RESPONSE TO ALLEGATIONS MADE ABOUT THE FOURTH NAIROBI WATER
SUPPLY PROJECT
Nairobi, Kenya The attention of the Government of Kenya has been drawn to a
statement by Raila Amollo Odinga, leader of the Orange Democratic Movement political
party, alleging that the Bulk Water Supply Project for Nairobi Construction Northern
Collector Tunnel Phase 1 is a secret project. He demands that the project be stopped. The
former Prime Minister in the Grand Coalition Government has also gone on to
ridiculously insinuate that the project has been designed with the commercial interests of
H.E. the President in mind.
In view of these fallacious allegations, the government wishes to clarify that this project
is a component of the Kenya Water and Sanitation Services Improvement Project
(WASSIP) which aims to avail water to less privileged parts of Nairobi which have
chronically suffered from clean water shortage. The Fourth Nairobi Water Supply is a
joint initiative of the Kenyan Government, the World Bank and the French Development
Agency. The project was conceived in the 1990s with the first feasibility study
commissioned in 1998 under the KANU government. After getting into office in 2003,
the NARC government held a widely publicized review of all government projects, with
a view of completing those projects which had direct positive impact on the quality of
life, mainly for the under-privileged citizens. Consequently in 2005, this project was
classified as one of the flagship Vision 2030 projects. Raila Amollo Odinga was a
Cabinet Minister in the aforementioned NARC government.
Due to the large funding outlays involved, the project was divided into phases. The
Northern Collector Tunnel Project which is currently under implementation was given
priority and recommended for implementation by 2010. However, by the time the
1

detailed designs and a reasonable expectation of funding was obtained, the project could
not commence because it was required that the feasibility study commissioned in 1998 be
re-validated. A new feasibility study was procured by the government and duly
completed in 2012. The validation was duly done and the report was commissioned by
Mr. Raila Odinga himself, then the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kenya, on 18th
September 2012 at KICC. While commissioning the report, Raila had this to say, Phase
one and two of this project will cost Sh.25 billion. The government has now embarked on
bold steps to develop water sources that can meet the needs of the city and satellite towns
up to the year 2035. The steps involve the development of water sources and associated
infrastructure in four phases. He then announced the first phase will commence in
December 2012. (See the Daily Nation

newspaper of Tuesday, 18th September 2012). The

former Prime Minister has therefore decided to mischievously give falsehoods to malign
a project that will significantly change the lives of many Kenyans who struggle to get
clean water, especially those living in the informal settlements areas such as Kibera,
Mathare, Kawangware, Mukuru.
On the malicious allegations that the project was designed to serve the commercial
interests of the first family in Juja, this is an outright lie. Whereas the subsequent phases
of the Nairobi Water Supply Project is a component of the greater Kenya Water and
Sanitation Services Improvement Project (WASSIP), the funding for this phase is yet to
be confirmed. In fact, the project designs have provided that Juja and surrounding areas
will be supplied with water from an upgrade of Karimenu Dam in Gatundu constituency.
The Government therefore reads malice in these accusations. They represent a
deliberately unfortunate attempt to malign His Excellency, the President and the First
Family.
Nairobi is currently supplied with 540,000 cubic meters of waterabout 160,000 cubic
meters below the approximate, current demand of 700,000 cubic meters. The project will,
upon completion, mitigate the existing deficit by adding 140,000 cubic meters to the
water supply. The allegation that this supply will cause a flood is informed by either
incredible ignorance or extreme mischief. The designs of the project cover every aspect
from the tapping of water from the rivers, through Ndakaini Dam, through a system of
reservoirs to the final distribution and disposal points. The entire design is a product of
several local and international water technology engineers and adheres to all international
standards.
Indeed, by the time Raila Odinga himself launched the project, three feasibility studies
had been conducted by independent local and international firms of repute. The
feasibility studies confirmed that the social, environment and ecological impact,
2

including aquatic life, had been catered for. Specifically, the Government was keen to
confirm that the project would have no effect on certain species of fish which require
certain high water levels to survive.
The welfare of downstream communities in Ukambani, Garissa and Tana River was also
given prime consideration during the study and design of the project. In brief, the design
of the project is such that it will retain the current rate of flows during normal seasons
and the tunnel which is into Ndakaini Dam will take full capacity during the wet seasons
when water levels cause floods downstream. It is a fact that during the rainy season,
Kenya donates millions of gallons of clean water to the Indian Ocean where it is not
needed. Cases of flooding in Nairobi, Budalangi, Garissa, Narok, Tana River etc. are
reported every rainy season. When the seasonal rains stop, the floods turn into drought
almost immediately. To counter this untenable cycle, the government is implementing a
water management strategy which will ensure that rain water is captured and harnessed to
improve the living standards in all areas of the country. The government has initiated
several dam projects and is in the process of carrying out feasibility studies for more. By
harnessing rain water, the perennial drought challenges the country continues to face will
be significantly mitigated in less than ten years. Some of the ongoing projects include
Thwake River Dam for Makueni/Kitui, Radat in Baringo, Lowatt in Turkana and
Mwache in Kwale. This project will therefore not cause desertification as alleged by Mr.
Odinga. It is part of the projects that will ensure that all Kenyans have access to clean
water within the shortest time possible.
On the issue of stakeholder consultation, we wish to clarify that the last administration
engaged in numerous stakeholder meetings prior to launching of the project. The
Government held no less than twenty consultative meetings to discuss and explain the
project, its impact and address the concerns of various parties. The Government also
issued several notices through leading national newspapers, inviting and soliciting public
views on the project. The public participation process was robust and the project
proceeded with the tacit approval of the general public, and in particular those likely to be
affected by the projects construction.
The concerns raised by the Muranga County Assembly concerning the impact of the
project on Muranga County were addressed through the Courts and the matter brought to
rest. As a result of their lobbying, the County Government of Muranga got support for
several community water projects including Muranga, Gatanga, Ichichi and Ithanga
community water projects. To date, there is continued engagement between the National
Government and the Muranga County Government as both parties seek speedy
implementation of the project. The project implementation is also designed to incorporate
3

feedback from various stakeholders through a grievance redress mechanism that involves
the locals and area leaders.
Finally, we wish to reiterate that the Word Bank and other implementation partners are
valued friends of Kenya and that they are not financing this project for the benefit of any
political regime. These partners are on board to support projects that improve the lives of
humanity with the understanding that the suffering of one human being is the suffering of
all humanity.
We therefore urge Kenyans (like Raila Odinga) who can easily afford clean water to
avoid utterances that can kill a project designed to deliver clean, hygienic water to the
less privileged dwellers of Nairobi and other areas of the country in order to achieve short
lived political mileage. If funding for this project is withdrawn on account of false and
malicious allegations like we have witnessed today, one can be sure that by the time new
funding is re-negotiated, this generation will not benefit.
The government is calling upon every Kenyan of goodwill including Raila Odinga who
in 2012 termed it a very important step for the country to enhance water security and the
realization of our Vision 2030 strategy to support this project for the benefit of all
Kenyans.
Kiraithe E. K. MBS
Government Spokesman.