By Dorothy Musyoka
In a significant move towards enhancing water resource management in the region, the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) has officially handed over six state-of-the-art Hydromet stations to the Government of Kenya.
“Today the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) officially handed over 6 Hydromet stations to the Kenya government at a ceremony held in Nairobi witnessed by the P.S for State Department of Water and Sanitation Julius Korir,CBS and myself,” stated Eng.Eric Mugaa CS – Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation.
The hydromet stations,strategically positioned on Yala, Nzoia, Sondu Miriu, Nyando, Gucha Migori, and Mara rivers are part of a broader effort by NBI to bolster regional river basin monitoring.
“As part of the NBI objectives, focus is on enhancing regional river basin monitoring for enhanced planning and management basin wide,” added Eng.Mugaa.
The project funded through the joint efforts of the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany (BMZ) and the European Union (EU) aims to address the critical need for real time date and information to ensure sustainable water resources management across the Nile Basin.
“The NBI in collaboration with Member States established the Nile Basin Regional Hydrological Monitoring System to address the data and information needs in the basin in real time,” explained Eng.Mugaa.
The Nile Basin Regional Hydrological Monitoring System is designed to establish and strengthen regional hydrological monitoring activities and applications in the member states and support collaborative generation of basin monitoring and generation of information for critical sustainable water resources management in the basin.
The intergration of these stations into Kenya’s national water management framework marks a significant milestone in the country’s efforts to safeguard its water resources for future generation.