The East African Community Partner States have received a major boost after the World Bank approved the financing of KSh59 billion for sanitation programme within the Lake Victoria Basin.
The noble gesture, according to the Executive Secretary for the Lake Victoria Basin commission (LVBC) Dr Masinde Bwire, has been achieved through a series of engagements aimed at mobilising resources from the World Bank.
The programme, under a multi-phase approach, Dr Bwire said, will be the largest and most impactful in the history of Lake Victoria Basin since its inception.
“Two weeks ago, I and my team attended the World Bank Springs meeting in Washington DC,” said Dr Bwire.
Dr Bwire made the remarks when he hosted Her Excellency Rebecca Kadaga, the first Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community Affairs, Republic of Uganda in Kisumu.
Others in the entourage included Sam Cheptoris Minister of Water and Environment for the Republic of Uganda and Edith Mwanje, Permanent Secretary Ministry of East African Community Affairs, Uganda.
During the Washington DC meeting, Dr Bwire said the financial institution made a commitment and agreed to spearhead the development of the initiative.
He said that the consultative meeting was attended heads of finance dockets from the partner states among other delegates.
The Partner States expressed their support and willingness for the programme, agreeing to work collaboratively to address the challenges in Lake Victoria Basin and create descent jobs by unlocking the enormous potential of the basin.
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“I also wish to notify you that LVBC in collaboration with the GIZ has kick started the development process of the Lake Victoria State of the Basin Report,” he said.
The report, he said, is meant to document the current state of the Basin and thus guide future strategic and management decisions.
Bwire said that the East African Community Council of Ministers also gazetted number 110 as an emergency number that can be used in distress, search and rescue operations on Lake Victoria.
The telephone code, he said, is currently operational in the Republic of Uganda and plans are underway to extend its operation to other East African Partner States.
Under the Integrated Water Resources Management Programme, Dr Bwire divulged, already four high priority investment projects worth Euro 26 million are under implementation in Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania.
Specifically, in Uganda, Dr Bwire said, the project under implementation aims to improve sanitation condition in the Luzira Catchment in the City of Kampala, where approximately 27,600 people will directly benefit from the project.
He said plans to officially sign the project and Funding Agreement between LVBC, and the Republic of Uganda is underway.
The Nile Cooperation for Climate Resilient (NCCR) Project, Dr Bwire said, has already prepared the draft Water Quality Management Policy under review by Partner States.
The move, he said, targets to have a unified approach to conservation efforts following concerns over the quality of water in Lake Victoria.
Another milestone, Dr Bwire said, is the revamp of the East African Community Research Vessel (RV Jumuiya) which has been docked at the Mwanza South port for over a decade is set to start operation.
By Fredrick Odiero
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