Eng. Kimanthi Kyengo, Deputy Director, Water Services, Ministry of Water and Irrigation
Ismaile Shaiye, Water Services Trust Fund Chief Executive Officer
USAID-AHADI and Africa Lead Representatives
County Executive in charge of Water
County Chief Officers in charge of Water
County Director in charge of Water
County Heads of Budget
County Attorneys
Other representatives from County Governments
Fellow COG Secretariat Colleagues
Ladies and gentlemen

I would like to take this opportunity to appreciate all of you for gracing this important meeting on strengthening water governance in arid and semi-arid areas in the in the 9 County Governments. Your presence here is a demonstration of our concern for this sector.
One of the most significant changes introduced in the Kenya governance framework is introduction of the devolved system of government and the consequent framework of sharing of powers and functions between the two levels of government. This functional assignment as outlined in the constitution allocates functions to the two levels of government from the stand point of policy, service delivery, regulation and enforcement. The Constitution of Kenya 2010 allocates the responsibility for the function on water resource management to the national government and water service provision to the county governments. For counties to effectively execute the assigned functions, county governments need to take policy and legislative, actions to facilitate delivery of services. In the same vein, counties need to put in place measures to progressively realise the economic and social rights provided in the Bill of Rights. This constitutional principle obliges the government to provide water to its citizens that is clean and safe and in adequate quantities.

To ensure long term sustainability of livelihoods, especially in counties facing scarcity of the water resource, it is important to emphasize the establishment or strengthening of institutions involved in providing water services, namely public and private county structures. It is also critical to set up close linkages between these institutions, other stakeholders, and communities. In addition, a legal framework is required so as to ensure county-wide and cross-border water and rangeland management and land tenure rights are addressed adequately and anchored in law.
The Council of Governors (GOG) as the key coordinating organ of all the county governments, is glad that development partners specifically USAID have come up to support county governments in the implementation of devolved functions. We are especially grateful to USAID-AHADI, KENYA-RAPID programs and other developing partners for supporting this effort aimed at developing the governance framework that will enhance delivery of water services in ASAL counties. This capacity development initiative on water governance under this partnership will include; extending support to the counties in the development of the county water policy and legal framework.
Support counties to improve the capacity of officers in the departments of water and sanitation in order to improve their skill to enhance performanceWork with other actors such as the Water Service Providers, the Regulators, Water User Associations to enhance access, equity, quality etc. Strengthen the institutions of county governments particularly departments and county corporation to improve their competence and capability in managing provision of WASH service and meeting citizens’ expectations.
I would like to urge the leadership from the ASAL counties to work closely work with all actors, including the national government, to sufficiently invest in the development of water sector to strengthen the economy of the region and thereby enable communities improve their standards of living. It is our prayer that the 9 County Governments will demonstrate the importance of this programme and hopefully the extension to the rest of the 47 County Governments in collaboration with other partners.