Busia: Kenya and Uganda have taken a significant step towards regional cooperation with the signing of a bilateral agreement on the Angololo Water Resources Development Project (AWRDP), aimed at enhancing food security, power access, employment creation, and regional integration. The agreement was signed by Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Water, Sanitation and Irrigation, Eric Muga, and Uganda's Environment Minister, Beatrice Atim.
According to Kenya News Agency, the Angololo project, in collaboration with the Nile Basin Initiative through the Nile Basin Equatorial Lakes Subsidiary Program (NELSAP), is set to cost USD 137 million (approximately Sh17 billion) and was conceptualized in 2015. Speaking at the signing ceremony in Busia, CS Muga highlighted the project's potential to create employment, supply clean water to over 300,000 people across regions in Kenya and Uganda, and irrigate more than 4,000 hectares of land. The project will also restore 30 percent of the 447 square kilometers of degraded upstream catchment area.
Muga emphasized the benefits for the local youth, particularly in Teso North, where the project will be based, through employment opportunities during the construction phase. The project includes a dam with a water holding capacity of 31.6 million cubic meters and aims to produce around 1.3 MW of hydropower, with plans to add 20MW from a floating solar system to address regional power challenges.
Ugandan Environment Minister Beatrice Atim praised the initiative, emphasizing the importance of conserving natural resources and fostering a sense of ownership among the beneficiaries. She highlighted the project as an example of regional collaboration and a step towards achieving self-reliance without excessive external dependency.
Teso North MP Oku Kaunya expressed gratitude for the project, underscoring its transformative potential in enhancing food security and power supply for both nations. The project is aligned with Kenya's Vision 2030 and Uganda's Vision 2040, with tendering and construction planned for the 2026/2027 financial year and operations expected to commence in 2030.
The agreement marks a milestone in Kenya-Uganda relations, with the AWRDP set to transform lives through improved food security, water and sanitation access, energy development, environmental conservation, job creation, and regional integration.