By Fredrick Odhiambo, Program Officer – Health, Water, and Sanitation

Water is a fundamental human right, yet climate change, weak governance structures, and poor resource management continue to threaten access to clean and safe water for many communities in Kenya. As we mark #WorldWaterDay2025, we emphasize the urgent need to protect our glaciers, strengthen water governance, and build climate resilience to secure the future of water resources. The recent Water (Amendment) Act 2024 provides an opportunity to align our water resource management strategies with sustainable and inclusive policies that protect critical water sources.

Findings From Our Research And Interventions Reveal:

In 2007, Hakijamii in collaboration with The Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE) and Umande Trust, conducted a study on water sector institutions in Nairobi (Read here), which highlighted critical gaps in accountability, affordability, and equitable access to water services. A decade later, many informal settlement residents still lack adequate WASH services, making them vulnerable to health risks.

Further research on water resource management (Read here) underscored how climate change is disrupting water availability. The rapid melting of glaciers, prolonged droughts, erratic rainfall, and water pollution are worsening Kenya’s water crisis, particularly in the Arid and Semi-Arid (ASALs) regions and informal settlements.

In 2024, Hakijamii developed the Lake Nakuru National Park Management Plan  (LNNPMP) 2024-2034 with the support from WWF Kenya. The plan highlights the importance of community engagement in ecosystem conservation and water resource protection. The plan includes strategies for watershed restoration, stormwater management, and sustainable community participation, which can serve as a model for other water catchments across Kenya.

Currently through the support from FAO under EU digital Land governance program, Hakijamii is Enhancing Inclusive and Participatory Land and Natural Resources Governance for Sustainable Development. This project is a crucial step towards sustainable water conservation, aligning with the World Water Week 2025 theme on climate resilience and water security. By strengthening community-led land and water governance, the project promotes integrated water resource management, afforestation, and the protection of key ecosystems such as Lake Nakuru and Nairobi River Basin. Through multi-stakeholder engagements, legal empowerment, and participatory natural resource planning, the project will help mitigate water pollution, prevent land degradation, and ensure equitable water access for marginalized communities. 

To scale this impact, the LNNPMP should be domesticated across Kenya’s major water sources by establishing localized governance frameworks, supporting climate-smart water conservation efforts, and enhancing market-based SME participation in WASH solutions.

UPR Recommendations on the Right to Water & Sanitation

As part of the Kenya CSO stakeholders’ coalition for Universal Periodic Review(UPR) on the Right to Water and Sanitation , we urged the Kenyan government, private sector, and development partners to:
✅ Align water governance with the Water (Amendment) Act 2024, ensuring that water resource management integrates Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) and community-led initiatives.
✅ Adopt the Lake Nakuru Management Plan model to strengthen catchment conservation efforts across rivers, lakes, and wetlands in Kenya. This includes wetland restoration, afforestation, and community engagement in sustainable water use.
✅ Increase investment in nature-based solutions, such as watershed conservation, reforestation, and stormwater control mechanisms, to enhance water security.
✅ Promote sustainable market-based SMEs in the water sector, supporting entrepreneurs in bulk water supply, water storage solutions, and WASH services.
✅ Enhance transparency and accountability in water resource management, ensuring citizen participation and strict regulatory oversight to prevent mismanagement and pollution of water sources.
✅ Expand community-led water conservation initiatives, ensuring that water resource management plans, like the Lake Nakuru model, are adapted across Kenya’s water sources.

Why Protecting Glaciers Matters

Glaciers are critical water towers, feeding rivers and lakes that supply millions of people across urban and rural Kenya. Their rapid melting due to climate change threatens water security, food production, biodiversity, and livelihoods. If we fail to act, we risk worsening water shortages and deepening inequalities in water access.

Water justice is climate justice! Let’s advocate for inclusive, sustainable, and climate-adaptive WASH solutions to protect our water sources and uphold the right to water for all.

Happy #WorldWaterDay2025