Kenya Water Towers Agency Dissolved as Part of State Corporations Rationalization
The decision is part of a government-wide effort to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of state agencies, particularly those with similar functions.
Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Aden Duale. Photo/Aden Duale.
The Kenya Water Towers Agency (KWTA) has officially ceased operations following the dissolution of its Board last month, marking a significant shift in the country’s environmental management strategy.
The dissolution, which included the re-deployment of KWTA’s Chairperson and Directors to other government roles, is part of a broader Cabinet-sanctioned rationalization of State Corporations with overlapping or duplicate mandates.
The move follows the expiration of the Executive Order that established the KWTA in April 2012 (Gazette Notice No. 31), which had initially provided the agency with its mandate.
The agency’s dissolution is seen as a necessary step to streamline operations in the public sector and eliminate redundancies, particularly within the environment and forestry sectors.
In a statement, the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry explained that KWTA’s role had become increasingly redundant due to its overlapping responsibilities with other institutions, including the Kenya Forest Service (KFS), Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI), and the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA).
“KWTA’s mandate was essentially duplicating efforts already undertaken by these institutions, making it necessary for us to consolidate and optimize resources within the sector,” the Cabinet Secretary noted.
The decision is part of a government-wide effort to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of state agencies, particularly those with similar functions.
The Cabinet Secretary highlighted that while KWTA’s dissolution marked the end of one chapter, it would also allow for a more coordinated approach to environmental conservation, forest management, and climate change mitigation.
In light of the agency’s closure, the Cabinet Secretary has directed the Principal Secretaries for Environment and Climate Change, and Forestry, to expedite an audit of KWTA’s assets and liabilities, including its staff complement.
This audit is crucial to determining how the agency’s resources will be redistributed, and how its employees will be integrated into the Ministry of Environment and its associated agencies.
“All staff of KWTA will be deployed to the Ministry and its agencies based on their established competencies,” the Cabinet Secretary confirmed, ensuring that the skilled workforce is absorbed into the wider public service.
The restructuring is expected to bring greater cohesion and focus to the government’s efforts to protect Kenya’s natural resources.
The environment sector will now benefit from improved coordination and reduced duplication, paving the way for more effective implementation of policies aimed at conserving the country’s water towers and addressing the challenges of climate change.
This restructuring move aligns with the government’s ongoing commitment to reforming public institutions for better service delivery and resource management.
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