Strategic Plan 2023-2027 Launch

RCGW is proud to announce the formal launch of its Strategic Plan for the period 2023–2027, a critical blueprint designed to enhance the sustainable management of groundwater resources in the country and align with national development priorities
The Plan was officially unveiled today during a high-level event graced by the presence of the Cabinet Secretary- Ministry Of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Eng. Eric Mugaa, the Principal Secretary-State Department of Water and Sanitation Mr. Julius Korir, the Water Secretary Eng. S.A.O. Alima, RCGW Board of Directors led by the Chairperson Dr. Stephen Maore (PhD), RCGW Ag. Chief Executive Officer Geol. Patrick Murunga among other esteemed dignitaries and stakeholders.
The 2023–2027 Strategic Plan is founded on key pillars of research, capacity building, and policy advocacy, ensuring the Centre remains a regional beacon for groundwater expertise.
The Plan is intricately woven into the fabric of the national Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) and the Fourth Medium Term Plan (MTP IV) of Kenya Vision 2030, specifically targeting enhanced water security and climate resilience.
The CS affirmed the Government’s dedication, emphasizing that “Groundwater is a cornerstone of our long-term water security. The successful implementation of the RCGW Strategic Plan will be crucial in mitigating the effects of drought and ensuring water resilience for all citizens.”
RCGW is fully committed to the rigorous implementation of this Strategic Plan, fostering strong partnerships, and ensuring accountability to deliver its mandate for a water-secure future in Kenya.

AMCOW Groundwater Commission Consultative Meeting Underway in Nairobi

The African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) is convening a consultative meeting at the Regional Centre on Groundwater (RCGW) in Nairobi to review and validate the Draft Strategic Programme on Groundwater for Water Security and Resilience in Africa.

The Strategic Programme, which derives from the Africa Programme on Accelerated Groundwater Programme (APAGroP), is anchored on the overarching objective to improve policy and practice; support capacity development; and enhance knowledge and information sharing in groundwater and transboundary water management across Member States.

It seeks to accelerate the sustainable management and utilisation of groundwater as a driver for socio-economic development, in alignment with the Africa Water Vision 2025 and the African Union’s Agenda 2063. The initiative follows Council Decision EXCO/13/2022/WDH/3 and subsequent AMCOW and stakeholder engagements in Dar es Salaam and the UN Groundwater Summit in Paris (2022).

This consultative meeting provides an opportunity to:

  • Validate the draft programme document with input from key resource persons, following earlier consultative processes.

  • Finalise the draft programme in readiness for submission to the 14th Ordinary Session of the AMCOW General Assembly.

Courtesy call from the Chairperson of the Board of the Regional Centre on Groundwater Resources Education, Training & Research (RCGW) to CS Water, Sanitation and Irrigation.

The Cabinet Secretary – Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation (MoWSI), had a briefing meeting with the Regional Center on Groundwater Resources Education, Training & Research (RCGW) Board Chairman Dr. Stephen Kirimi Maore and CEO Geol. Agnes Mbugua. Topics discussed are the ongoing programmes to increase water availability in the country through groundwater water mapping, assessment, raising awareness on groundwater water status in various regions and also providing information to my ministry for groundwater policy formulation. Kenya being a water scarce country in the region, the Center is Key to spearhead trans- boundary Aquifers information management. A notable key programme underway is the artificial groundwater recharge to bank flood waters to be used during the dry seasons, reduce floods and also increase water availability. The Centre is in the process of signing an MoU with the COG to carry out groundwater water assessment in all Counties and Capacity build the Counties.

Courtesy call from the Chairperson of the Board of the Regional Centre on Groundwater Resources Education, Training & Research (RCGW) on exploitation of groundwater resources in counties.

RCGW Board Chairperson- Dr. Stephen Maore and CEO- Geol. Agnes Mbugua paid a courtesy call to Ms. Mary Mwiti CEO Council of Governors (CoG) to establish areas of collaboration in exploration and exploitation of groundwater resources in Counties. This is in light of the issues facing Counties including salination of groundwater sources, drying of boreholes, insufficient groundwater assessment and inadequate knowledge, information, capacity and coordination.
The areas of collaboration established include:
1. Assisting Counties in conducting groundwater assessment.
2. ⁠Capacity building Counties on sound groundwater management.
3. ⁠CoG assistance in coordination of Counties.
4. ⁠Support to Counties in developing groundwater master plans.
5. ⁠Collaborative monitoring, evaluation and learning in groundwater resource management.
Accompanying RCGW Chairperson and CEO were the Board Director Vainadu Ingana and Resources mobilization manager CPA. Janiffer Ndibaru.

RCGW and UNESCO i-WSSM team conducts an evaluation of the Nairobi dam, Ngong river and Ruai Treatment Plant.

RCGW and UNESCO i-WSSM team conducting an evaluation of the Nairobi dam, Ngong river and Ruai Treatment Plant concurrent with the opening of the UNESCO i-WSSM office in Nairobi.
The evaluation commenced at Nairobi Dam which is currently overwhelmed by effluent. Later on, Ngong river which feeds the dam as it exits Ngong Forest (upper stream) was assessed. The team finally reviewed the operational capacity of the Ruai Treatment Plant to assess the quality and quantity of the effluent after treatment.
This initiative aims at exploring the bankability for treated waste water to replenish aquifers in the country through Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR). Furthermore this comprehensive study is crucial for informing strategic plans aimed at leveraging wastewater treatment solutions to enhance water security

Opening of UNESCO i-WSSM Office, Workshop on Kenya Wastewater Management

Adjacent to opening of the UNESCO i-WSSM office at the RCGW premises in Nairobi on 26th November, 2024, RCGW and UNESCO i-WSSM team of experts organised a joint workshop to discuss the development of Kenya waste water management program. The workshop was part of the engagement on the mechanisms of recharging the Nairobi aquifer which is facing depletion due to high rates of abstraction. Recharging Nairobi aquifer will also increase the athi river water flows and provide water for irrigation and reuse thus ensuring water and food security.

Opening of UNESCO i-WSSM Office at RCGW in Nairobi, Kenya

The Regional Centre on Groundwater Resources Education Training and Research (RCGW) in collaboration with UNESCO International Centre for Water Security and Sustainable Management (UNESCO i-WSSM) on 26thth November, 2024 has carried on with the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two institutions supported by the Ministry of Water Sanitation and Irrigation (MoWSI) that was signed in November 2022, effective for a period of 5 years by establishing a Country office in Kenya at the RCGW Nairobi City premises.
Mr. Julius Korir, CBS Principal Secretary- State Department for Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation (MoWSI) graced the occasion. In attendance were Korean Ambassador to Kenya representative; , KECO represented by Dep Gen Manager Ho-Joong Kim, KOICA Country Director represented by Manager Sarah Nyawira, RCGW Board Session Chairperson Eng. Justus Wambutua & Board of Directors, Mr. Alex Makarigakis – UNESCO Regional Nairobi Office; , Mr. Bongwoo SHIN – i-WSSM Director; Dr. Ho-Joong Kim – Deputy General Manager, Korea Environment Corporation (KECO); i-WSSM Director, representatives of the Water Sector CEOs, Eng. S.A.O. Alima – Water Secretary, State Department for Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation (MoWSI); SDoWS, Representative of the Directors Water Resources Management at MoWSI, Representatives from Korea Water Sector, the Millenium Water Alliance represented by Manager Chamia Mutuku, representatives from the Water Service Providers and RCGW staff headed by the CEO Geol. Agnes Mbugua.
The primary goal of this office is;
• Mutual cooperation and support for water-related programs to advance research, knowledge sharing, and policy development;
• Exchange of expertise and capacity-building efforts, promoting skill enhancement and knowledge transfer;
• Joint development of water-related agendas and co-hosting seminars to foster learning and innovation.

Strategic Programme on Groundwater for Water Security and Resilience in Africa.

The African Ministers Council on Water (AMCOW) Groundwater Commission has convened a consultative meeting in Maseru, Lesotho to develop a “Strategic Programme on Groundwater for Water Security and Resilience in Africa.”
The meeting draws experts from the continent mainly Regional Centre on Groundwater Research(RCGW), International Water Management Institute (IWMI), IGAD, Sahara Sahel Observatory (OSS), Nuclear Research Institute from Ghana, African Groundwater Network, UNESCO and Academia Institution- (University Of Nairobi-Participating). RCGW was represented by the CEO-Geol. Agnes Mbugua.

RCGW-CNIS Training on Gravimetric Measurements for Subsurface Exploration

On Monday 14th October 2024, The French Centre National De La Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) in collaboration with RCGW organized a half-day training on Gravimetry measurements aimed at imaging the densities of the subsurface materials. The training was essential in understanding how the variations in the earth’s gravitational field can be useful in exploration of different geological features in the subsurface through identification of density anomalies. Dr. Stephanie Gautier-Raux, Lecturer from the University of Montpellier, France was the main facilitator of the Training.
Those trained included technical staff from RCGW and the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation who are experts in Geology, Geophysics, Hydrogeology, Hydrology, Environmental management, Transboundary water resources management and Governance. The training involved hands-on experience in collecting data with a relative Gravimeter and how to perform data processing involving different corrections methods. In attendance were RCGW CEO Geol. Agnes Mbugua and Dr. Lydia Roos from the Institut de Physique des 2 infinis de Lyon
The training was a precursor to the Gravimetric measurements fieldwork exercise that is to take place at Chyulu 2 campsite in Tsavo West National Park. The measurements are part of preliminary investigations at the identified location for the installation of a muon detector/telescope for collection of particle physics data.

Village Drill, WHO Lives, and Kenya Red Cross Join Forces to Address Water Scarcity in Kenya

The Village Drill, in collaboration with WHO Lives, signed a pivotal MOU with the Kenya Red Cross Society on 8th October, to advance groundwater access and sanitation in Kenya’s vulnerable communities. With Kenya’s current water availability below the critical 1,000 cubic meters per capita threshold, this partnership is a key step toward addressing water scarcity. Davis & Shirtliff, Bola Properties Limited, British Red Cross, the Institution of Engineers, the Ministry of Water, *The Regional Centre on Groundwater Resources,* and the Water and Sanitation providers were in attendance. The MOU aims to accelerate access to sustainable groundwater solutions, empower communities, improve livelihoods, and promote economic resilience, while also supporting the fight against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). This collaborative effort will drive significant progress in achieving water security and economic empowerment for Kenya.”