SPEECH BY PROF. JUDI W. WAKHUNGU,THE CABINET SECRETARY FOR ENVIRONMENT, WATER AND NATURAL RESOURCES, DURING THE TURKANA GROUNDWATER RESULTS AND LAUNCH OF KENYA GROUNDWATER MAPPING

7/29/2019 SPEECH BY PROF. JUDI W. WAKHUNGU,THE CABINET SECRETARY FOR ENVIRONMENT, WATER AND NATURAL RESOURCES, DURING THE TURKANA GROUNDWATER RESULTS AN

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SPEECH BY PROF. JUDI W. WAKHUNGU,THE CABINET

SECRETARY FOR ENVIRONMENT, WATER AND NATURAL

RESOURCES, DURING THE TURKANA GROUNDWATER RESULTS

AND LAUNCH OF KENYA GROUNDWATER MAPPING PROJECT IN

SUPPORT OF KENYAS VISION 2030 AT KENYA SCHOOL OF

MONETARY STUDIES ON 11TH

SEPTEMBER, 2013


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Your Excellencies,

The representative of UNESCO Director-General,

Distinguished Guest,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is my utmost pleasure and privilege to represent the Government of Kenya in this

noble gathering and address you today for the purpose of publicly announcing some

very important scientific findings made recently in Kenya, with respect to water

resources and to launch a new national water exploration programme.


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An advanced survey of groundwater resources of northern and central Turkana

County, located in the arid north-western region of Kenya, has been undertaken by

UNESCO under its GRIDMAP initiative and conducted by Radar Technologies

International (RTI), with co-ordination from a National Technical and Scientific

Committee comprising technical officers from the Ministry of Environment, Water and

Natural Resources, University of Nairobi, Water Resources Management Authority

and Kenya Water Institute.

The primary aim of the survey was to explore, map and assess the available

groundwater resources in Turkana County in order to provide a new basis for

understanding water potential and spur socio-economic development in the region.

The methodology was the first of its kind in the country that utilize Radar Technology

International unique WATEX technology, which integrates advanced remote-sensing

and geophysics techniques to explore and map both shallow and deep groundwater

resources. The output included a set of high-resolution maps, an assessment report

of groundwater potential and a package of tools and training tailored for our local

use.


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I would like to specifically announce the key findings of the survey and highlight their

importance to the people of Turkana in particular and the whole nation in general.


First and foremost, the study has found that northern-central Turkana hosts an

approximate reserve of 250 billion cubic meters of groundwater, which is replenished

at a rate of about 3.4 billion cubic meters per year. This wealth of water could boost

the countrys share of available water by 8.5% and probably double the amount ofwater that is available for consumption today. The significance of this is the potential

to enhance groundwater development potential in Turkana, and therefore positioning

the government to better respond to the needs of the people, not only in Turkana

and other ASAL areas, but the entire nation.

Secondly, among the groundwater bodies mapped in Turkana, two major aquifers

have been identified which were not previously exploited. The Lotikipi Basin Aquifer


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System, located between Lokichogio and Lokitaung, is a large, ancient, sedimentary

aquifer with an estimated 207 billion cubic meters of freshwater reserves. The

potential volume of water is comparable to the volume of water in the nearby Lake

Turkana. The other aquifer, Lodwar Basin Aquifer, is located about 16 Kilometres

from Lodwar Town and is fed in part by the Turkwel River and has an estimated

reserve of 10 billion cubic meters. These aquifers will no doubt play a role in the

future development of central and southern Turkana County.

You will recall that oil discoveries have also been made in Turkana, and therefore

with these two natural resources, Turkana is positioned for major development

potential. The Lotikipi and Lodwar aquifers have been confirmed assessed by

UNESCO through drilling of exploration boreholes. Both aquifers are naturally

recharged, and can safely support a combined minimum abstraction rate of 1.2

billion cubic meters per year.


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In addition to the Lotikipi and Lodwar aquifers, the study also identified three other

large aquifers with a combined potential reserve of 30 billion cubic meters. When

confirmed, these aquifers will significantly add to the overall groundwater potential of

the country. These important findings, along with the complete survey findings, have

been reviewed by an independent panel of experts drawn from the UoN, MEW&NR,

KEWI and WRMA, led by professors Nobert Opiyo Akech and Daniel Olago.

The significance of this survey and its findings cannot be overstated. Accessibility to

water and improved socio-economic life is destined for improvement especially for

the most vulnerable populations in Kenya. The displaced, the poor, women and

children will now have a more viable access to water and ultimately a chance at a

better life.


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May I take this opportunity to officially thank, on behalf of the people of Kenya, all

those who have contributed in this study. In particular, I wish to thank the

Government of J apan for its financial support, without which the study would not

have been possible. I also extend my sincere gratitude to UNESCO for providing its

scientific leadership and technical advice, and for bringing the GRIDMAP project to

Kenya.


I would like to recognize the important work of Radar Technologies International and

the achievements made possible by its WATEX technology. I also appreciate therole played by all other stakeholders who participated in this project and helped to

make it a success, including the Department of Water Resources, WRMA, University

of Nairobi, Kenya Water Institute, Kenya Police, the Turkana County Government

and its entire leadership, as well as the local NGOs in the County.


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Last, but not least, I officially dedicate this project and its tools to the people of

Turkana who reside in the driest part of the country. Thanks to the advancements

made by this project, we will be able to work together to ensure that every Turkana

individual has access to enough water to attain a good livelihood.

We still have some work to do to fully understand groundwater in Turkana,

particularly in terms of how they can be harnessed for the greater good of the

republic. We can now embark on a new phase of research to improve water

availability that targets communities in need. This leads me to my second important

announcement.


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In line with the commitment made by H.E. President Uhuru Kenyatta for the

Government to usher in new innovative solutions to benefit Kenyans, I am pleased to

announce that the Government will be launching a special four-year programme,

called the Kenya Groundwater Mapping Programme. This programme aims to carry

forward the momentum of the Turkana survey and expand benefits of this new

technology to all the 47 counties. The programme will require about 1.5 billion KES

for implementation and it will significantly contribute towards the achievement of

Kenya Vision 2030. The Ministry of Environment, Water and Natural Resources will

oversee its implementation in collaboration with other government agencies and

partners. I take this opportunity to invite our partners to support this noble courseand join our efforts to make this programme a success.

THANK YOU.

Documents

SPEECH BY PROF. JUDI W. WAKHUNGU,THE CABINET SECRETARY FOR ENVIRONMENT, WATER AND NATURAL RESOURCES, DURING THE TURKANA GROUNDWATER RESULTS AND LAUNCH OF KENYA GROUNDWATER MAPPING