NGPU
February 22, 2023
City Management seeks collaborations to improve sanitation
Written by Nancy Naholi
UN-Habitat is implementing the “Scaling Citywide Inclusive Sanitation Systems” project in Kenya with Nakuru being one of the two urban centres selected to benefit from the pilot activity.
The project which is funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation seeks to achieve sustainable outcomes on the expansion of global advocacy for sanitation and wastewater monitoring, and strengthen national monitoring systems incorporating local authority-generated data and information investments and decision-making.
Today a team from the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) paid a visit to the office of the City Manager, Mr Gitau Thabanja to have discussions on realizing the success of the program through strengthened coordination.
German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) located in the UN City is one of the World’s leading research institutions and think tanks for global sustainable development.
Key issues discussed were carrying out a research project on sanitation and its implications on health and environment in the City and the necessity of capacity-building for scaling CWIS, an approach for sustainable urban sanitation.
Mr Thabanja welcomed the idea noting that Inclusive Sanitation is not possible without engaging the citizen, however, once they are sensitised on the adversities of open disposal, they will cooperate and this will change for good.
“We are committed to working together with key sectors in promoting Citywide inclusive sanitation and ensuring everyone has access to effective sanitation services,’ said Mr Thabanja.
He also noted that the City management through H.E Governor Kihika’s Administration will endeavour to rightly design and execute sanitation projects on time and ensure safely managed sanitation by using available resources and collaboration with relevant sector actors.
Some of the sanitation projects implemented through the management included the construction of storm-water drains, installation of waste receptacles, and construction of wash facilities.
Sanitation management refers to providing basic toilet facilities, safe storage, collection, transportation and disposal of urban wastewater through a sewer and non-sewer system.
Nakuru is one of the fast-growing cities in Kenya, where sanitation coverage is low, with only 25% of the population having access to improved sanitation. Sewerage coverage is about 3.4% according to research done by World Bank and Global Water Security and Sanitation Partnership, (GWSP) 2021.
The research also seeks to adapt national and sub-national urban policies that incorporate citywide inclusive sanitation (CWIS) framework and principles as well as increase the number of sanitation-focused partnerships between utilities through which CWIS is well-known and applied by utilities and other relevant knowledge hubs with the ‘Global Water Operators’ Partnerships Alliance (GWO)’s network.
