The Lake Victoria Basin Commission says sanitation investments in Kisumu, Mwanza and Kampala have reached tendering, alongside progress in water data management.
LVBC sanitation projects under a Sh9.9 billion water management programme have reached the tendering stage in three cities. The Lake Victoria Basin Commission says it expects to award construction contracts by the end of October 2026.
The investments cover Kisumu, Mwanza and Kampala, alongside wider efforts to improve water information and regional cooperation. Executive Secretary Dr Masinde Bwire outlined the progress in Kisumu during the 24th Ordinary Meeting of the Sectoral Council on the Lake Victoria Basin.
LVBC sanitation projects move to tendering
Bwire said the priority sanitation investments had advanced from detailed technical design to tendering. They aim to improve services for about 8,800 people in Kisumu, 7,360 in Mwanza and 27,600 in Kampala.
The wider programme also anticipates benefits for more than 1.8 million people in Kigali. These investments seek to improve public health while protecting shared water resources from pollution.
The German Federal Government and European Union co-fund the Lake Victoria Basin Integrated Water Resources Management Programme through KfW. Its value stands at €68.90 million, or approximately Sh9.9 billion.
Water data system supports joint planning
Meanwhile, Bwire reported progress on the programme’s Water Information System, with operationalisation beginning in January 2026. Installation at the commission’s headquarters followed in February.
The system aims to improve access to water data and support planning, monitoring and decision-making among partner states. Five national and three regional use cases are also under development to strengthen knowledge management.
By improving access to shared information, the platform seeks to support coordinated management of the basin’s water resources. Communities, industries and regional economies depend heavily on those resources.
Solar installation targets lower electricity costs
Separately, the €15 million Fostering Potential of Lake Victoria Programme became operational in January 2026. Valued at approximately Sh2.16 billion, it aims to support sustainable development and strengthen institutional capacity.
Procurement of a project implementation consultant is under way. Tendering is also progressing for a photovoltaic solar power system at the LVBC headquarters.
Bwire said the proposed installation would lower electricity spending while improving energy security and operational resilience. The commission expects installation in the first quarter of 2027.
Projected savings total about US$2,000, or Sh290,000, monthly, equivalent to approximately Sh3.5 million annually. Those savings could support other institutional operations.
The project could also allow surplus electricity exports under Kenya’s net-metering framework. However, that option would depend on meeting applicable regulatory and technical requirements.
