On 31^st March, the three River Basin Management projects closed down the pre-investment phase of the

 

River Basin Management Projects.

 

The closing down comes after the completion of the grant agreement of the pre-investment phase of the  three River Basin Management (RBM) Projects which consists  three pre-investment projects namely, Mara Transboundary Integrated Water Resource Management, Sio-Malaba-Malakisi Transboundary Integrated Water Resource Management and Kagera Transboundary Integrated Water Resource Management.

 

 The projects were implemented by the Project Management Units within the framework of the Nile Equatorial Lakes Subsidiary Action Program (NELSAP) over a period of four years (January 2006 – March 2010) with financing from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and Royal Norwegian Government.

Implementation was through a financing agreement between the Nile Basin Initiative and the Swedish Royal Government and Memoranda of Understanding between Nile Basin Initiative and the governments of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi.

When they began in 2006, their objective was to establish a sustainable framework for the joint management and development in the basin, prepare investment plans based on the resources endowments in the basins, undertake feasibility studies of investment projects, and implement small-scale investment projects (water supply, irrigation, transport, watershed management).

    

After four years the projects achieved the development targets set.  The project has accomplished the following tasks among others;

o       Developed a cooperative framework for water management.

o       Draft Bilateral Agreements for management of shared water resources.

o       Developed Sub-Basin Monograph for SMM, Mara and Kagera.

o       Sub-basin Information database and Decision Support System

o       Sub-basin Investment Strategy for SMM, Mara and Kagera

o       Pre Feasibility Study Multi-purpose Water Storage

o       Feasibility study and Project Preparation for Watershed Management and Regional Water Infrastructure Development

o       Completed the assessment and design of Hydrometric Network and hydrometric equipment procured

o       Rehabilitated Sub-basin wide sustainable hydro-meteorological network.

o       Capacity Building Plan for SMM, Mara and Kagera

o       Built capacity and raised community awareness in IWRM. 105 people participated on cross border tours, six community awareness workshops conducted, 24 scientists and Engineers trained on Decision Support System.

o       vii. Prepared a Documentary film on the Water Resources and environment in the Mara River Basin

o       Stakeholders’ Participation Plan for SMM, Mara and Kagera

o       Gender Mainstreaming Plan for SMM, Mara and Kagera

o       Reviewed documents on the Kagera Navigability.

o       Facilitated LVEMP II Preparatory activities for Rwanda and Burundi

o       Commissioned Small Scale Projects:

ü      Angurai Water Supply System, Kenya;

ü      Mella Water Supply System, Uganda;

ü      Busia Community Fish Ponds, Uganda;

ü      Malaba Storm Water Drainage Master Plan, Uganda;

ü      Malaba Solid Waste Management, Kenya (Tractor Trailer and Dust bins).

ü      Construction of Bomet water supply and Bisarwi dam completed. Bisarwi will provide water for irrigation, for livestock, and for households, benefiting over 5000 residents

ü      Purchased three thousand trees seedlings to support community tree planting campaigns in Mara RBM

ü      Construction of Phase 1 of Katuna water serving over 7,000 people in the area; Construction of 15 rain water harvesting tanks in Nyagatare, Rwanda to 15 schools; Construction of Kayanga water supply system to 10,000 people in Kayanga town, Karagwe district in Tanzania. Construction of Butihinda Town in Rwanda water supply is ongoing.

ü      Carried out Agro forestry Projects as follows: Kabarole and Busoni district in Burundi; Rakai and Ntungamo districts in Uganda; Rulenge and Ngara Districts in Tanzania.  Activities in Kirehe and Gicumbi Districts in Rwanda are still ongoing.  

By the time they were closing all main activities had been successfully completed,  however due to some remaining activities, NELSAP requested a two (2) years bridging phase to allow the RBMs to complete the remaining activities. Currently the projects are at the preparations/design stage. NELSAP plays a facilitative role in resource mobilization.

< Prev		Next >