The government has been working towards developing water restoration initiatives with a focus on addressing the degradation of water towers such as forests and wetlands.
Key among them is the rehabilitation of the catchment basin of the Nairobi River, and the government, in partnership with the private sector, has been working towards restoring the river and controlling its pollution.
During the CGIAR Science Week conference at the United Nations Gigiri, a call to action on transforming and addressing global water security challenges reigned, with experts saying it is time that the world worked towards providing solutions through research.
Speaking during a session by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) dubbed Transforming Future Water Scarcity, Nairobi River Commissioner John Kioli said science played a critical role in enhancing water quality and also ensuring the success of regeneration projects.
The Nairobi River Regeneration Project is a large-scale initiative aimed at transforming Nairobi’s river systems into vibrant urban waterfront and improving the city’s infrastructure and quality of life.
“Nairobi River restoration is guided by science, and we will be installing automatic meters to monitor progress and to track water quality,” Kioli said.
Kioli said that the installation of the 54-kilometer sewer system, which commenced in September 2024, will help clean the river and support urban renewal, including a centralized sewer network to prevent pressure and alleviate congestion.
“We will establish 18 innovation centers. We plan to reorganize the surrounding areas and build 10,000 affordable homes,” Kioli added while confirming that those currently residing in these areas will be given priority.
He acknowledged the strong support provided by local communities residing near the riparian areas, adding that collaborative efforts were necessary for the project’s success.
He further called on all Kenyans to support the Nairobi River regeneration program, as its long-term benefits will have impact on everyone.
On March 2025, President William Ruto officially launched the second phase of the Nairobi River restoration initiative, with key focus on expanding and deepening the river while improving infrastructure.
IWMI Director General Dr. Mark said water security means working across food systems and basically all the sectors across the economy that intersect with water.
Dr. Smith said opening up of access to water means enabling a more sustainable and fairer sharing of water across different uses while managing the tradeoffs amongst the different uses of water in an economy, country or even river basin, as this trigger changes that ripple through those systems such as water, food, energy securities and ecosystems
“If you can get water security right, then you can trigger transformation across those systems, especially in agriculture. Water is at the heart of climate resilience, food security, and economic development,” he said.
Dr. Smith said that through IWMI’s Strategy 2024–2030, running under the motto “Driving Action. Propelling Change,” they were committed and would work with partners to implement science-backed solutions to address water challenges in Kenya and East Africa.
The IMWI strategy emphasizes how important water is for people, the economy, and nature, and during implementation, they will work with networks and partnerships to harness the strengths of government, the private sector, civil society, and science to design and scale water security.
By Wangari Ndirangu
