Following the commissioning of a Sh4.6 million Swedish-funded water project, more than 800 households in seven villages in Kasigau Ward, Taita Taveta County, will have better access to clean and dependable water.
Under the Improving Livelihoods and Sustainability Program, the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) and the County Government of Taita Taveta collaborated to implement the project, which aimed to improve water access while bolstering community resilience and sustainable natural resource management.
Its scope includes replacing outdated water pipelines with 4.5 kilometers of contemporary distribution infrastructure, rehabilitating three water storage tanks, and creating a 25-year water master plan.
Deputy Governor Christine Kilalo urged locals to protect the project and other water infrastructure during the commissioning ceremony in Rukanga in order to guarantee future generations’ sustainable access to water.
According to Kilalo, the county administration is working to create a rural water corporation that will improve the management, upkeep, and operations of community-managed water projects throughout the county.
Speaking at the ceremony, Martin Muriithi of the Swedish Embassy in Nairobi praised the implementing partners for their efficient oversight and wise use of project resources.
Although the program officially ended in December 2025, Muriithi remarked that the project’s effective implementation showed the usefulness of collaborations in tackling community development concerns and suggested the prospect of future collaboration.
Grantone Mwandawiro, a member of the County Executive Committee for Water, commended the county government’s cooperative approach to development, stating that collaborations with development organizations were still essential for boosting livelihoods and expediting service delivery throughout Taita Taveta County.
