Kenya and Uganda have signed a landmark bilateral agreement to implement the Angololo Water Resources Development Project (AWRDP), a transformative initiative designed to enhance water security, agricultural productivity, and clean energy access across their shared border.
The project, officially signed in Busia by Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Water, Sanitation and Irrigation, Eric Muga, and Uganda’s Environment Minister, Beatrice Atim, represents a critical step toward sustainable development and regional cooperation. It is being implemented in partnership with the Nile Basin Initiative under the Equatorial Lakes Subsidiary Action Program (NELSAP).
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With a total estimated cost of USD 137 million (approximately KSh17 billion), the project is set to directly benefit more than 300,000 people in Kenya’s Busia and Bungoma counties, as well as Uganda’s Tororo, Namisindwa, and Manafwa districts. A major component of the project includes the irrigation of over 4,000 hectares of land, which will be almost equally divided between the two nations. The project will also support food production, aquaculture, and the generation of up to 21.3 megawatts of renewable energy through a combination of hydro and solar sources.
Environmental conservation is a significant aspect of the project. It includes plans to rehabilitate 30 percent of the degraded upstream catchment area, which covers 447 square kilometers. This effort is expected to improve ecosystem services, preserve biodiversity, and support sustainable water use in the long term. The AWRDP aligns with Kenya’s Vision 2030 and Uganda’s Vision 2040, highlighting its strategic role in both countries’ development agendas.
Speaking at the signing, Minister Atim praised the project as a model for intra-African collaboration, urging citizens to take ownership of the initiative by protecting water resources and supporting conservation efforts. Local leaders, including Teso North MP Oku Kaunya, welcomed the development, describing it as a game-changer for agriculture and energy access in the region. Construction is scheduled to begin in the 2026/2027 financial year, with full operations expected by 2030.
