Water access in Kenya: institutions are failing to act

The statement highlights a gap between Kenya's robust legal framework—including the Constitution and the 2016 Water Act—and the reality of water pollution caused by industrial activities. It cites specific examples of contamination from battery recycling and the salt industry, and warns against the water-related risks associated with oil and gas production, calling for stronger regulatory oversight and corporate accountability.

• Kenya has a comprehensive legal framework to protect water access, including Article 43 (1) (d) of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to clean and safe water, and the 2016 Water Act, which mandates the national government to hold water resources in trust for citizens.
• Despite these laws, the extractives and infrastructure sectors are primary contributors to water pollution, with government agencies failing to fulfill their mandates. Examples include water pollution by a lead-acid battery recycling factory in the Owino Uhuru case and freshwater contamination by the salt industry in Kilifi.
• The document warns that oil and gas production consumes large amounts of water and discharges significant effluent into water bodies, suggesting that the right to clean water often becomes a 'luxury' for those living near such projects.
• The author calls for regulatory institutions to ensure mining companies do not pollute water bodies and to implement concrete steps to realize the right to clean and safe water without discrimination.

APA

Onyach, A. (2021). Water access in Kenya: institutions are failing to act. Natural Justice. https://naturaljustice.org/water-access-in-kenya-institutions-are-failing-to-act/

Chicago

Onyach, Abiud. Water access in Kenya: institutions are failing to act. Natural Justice, 2021. https://naturaljustice.org/water-access-in-kenya-institutions-are-failing-to-act/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Onyach |first1=Abiud |title=Water access in Kenya: institutions are failing to act |publisher=Natural Justice |date=23 March 2021 |url=https://naturaljustice.org/water-access-in-kenya-institutions-are-failing-to-act/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{onyach2021water, author = {Onyach, Abiud}, title = {{Water access in Kenya: institutions are failing to act}}, publisher = {Natural Justice}, year = {2021}, month = mar, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/water-access-in-kenya-institutions-are-failing-to-act/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }