“Kenya and Uganda have expressed commitment to full implementation of the transboundary Angololo Water Resources Development Project. The Minister responsible for water affairs of Kenya Hon. Alice Muthoni Wahome, and her Ugandan counterpart Hon. Sam Cheptoris expressed the two country’s commitment while jointly co-chairing a Development Partners Roundtable on the project, held on 24th February 2023 in Nairobi Kenya. The project located on Malaba River, envisions a 31.6 million cubic metres dam reservoir that will supply water to over 270,000 people, irrigate 4,000 Ha and generate 1.3MW electricity with the option of increasing it through a floating solar system.
“Now that feasibility studies are ready, technical documentations and the environmental impact assessment are complete, and the project has been proved to be viable and bankable, we are ready to jointly go to the next stage of resource mobilizing the required USD 132 million for its full implementation” said Hon Alice Muthoni Wahome, Cabinet Secretary for Water, Irrigation and Sanitation of Kenya and also the chair of the Nile Equatorial Lakes Council of Ministers (NELCOM).
On his part, Hon. Sam Cheptoris, the Uganda Water and Environment Minister said the Angololo project will boost food security since it will enable the region to produce food throughout the year. He added that Uganda is ready to sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the project to proceed.
“We want to assure our Development Partners that Uganda is 100% committed to this project and we are ready to compensate project affected persons and mobilize funds for any other activity that will fall within our mandate,” added Hon. Cheptoris.
The Kenyan Minister, Hon. Alice Wahome informed the gathering that her ministry was expediting preparation of a Cabinet Memo to secure funding from the National Treasury to support critical components of the project like land acquisition, and resettlement of people who are likely to be affected by the project while at the same time reviewing MoU with Uganda that will spell out modalities for joint resource mobilization and implementation of this transboundary project.
Hon. Wahome added, “NELSAP-CU has experience in implementing complex transboundary projects in the NEL region such as the 80MW Regional Rusumo Hydropower project, and drawing from their experience, the two countries will request them to undertake implementation of transboundary components of the Angololo project, which include dam infrastructure, hydropower and water treatment.”
Dr. Anders Jägerskog, Senior Water Resources Specialist the World Bank who is also managing the Cooperation in International Waters (CIWA) project expressed the Bank’s delight at the decision of Kenya and Uganda to pick up the Angololo project for full implementation and urged the countries to ensure the project is listed in the respective country’s development strategy papers.
“I am glad to note that Angololo project, as structured, corresponds to all strategic priorities stated in the African Development Bank (AfDB) Water Strategy for Africa 2021-2025,” said Mr. Mtchera Johannes Chirwa, Coordinator of the African Water Facility, at the AfDB. He added that the bank was satisfied with the quality of the feasibility study work and the study management. He noted that the project encourages transboundary cooperation and integration, which is an additional key pillar that motivated the bank to support full feasibility of the project.The NELSAP-CU Regional Coordinator Eng. Dr. Isaac Alukwe while delivering the keynote address said that Angololo project, which is set to be the third NBI flagship project, demonstrates the strong ties between Kenya and Uganda.
Several Development Partners attended the roundtable meeting including the World Bank, the African Development Bank (AfDB) NEPAD-IPPF, AUDA-NEPAD, the Africa Water Facility, European Investment Bank, Afrexim Bank and GIZ. The Principal Secretary of Water Affairs of Uganda Mr. Alfred Okot Okidi and his Kenyan counterpart Dr. Paul Kipronoh Ronoh were both present at the meeting.
In Kenya the project will principally be in Busia County and parts of Bugoma County while in Uganda it will benefit people from Tororo, Manafwa and Namisindwa Districts. NELSAP and the two countries concluded feasibility of this project, in November 2022.