Eng. Coletha Ruhamya is the Deputy Executive Secretary of the Lake Victoria Basin Commision (LVBC). Based in Kisumu, Kenya, LVBC is an EAC institution specifically mandated to coordinate sustainable development and the management of Lake Victoria and its basin. The German government supports LVBC through KfW and GIZ.
“The LVBC has benefited from the cooperation between the EAC and Germany through support to Integrated Water Resources Management. BMZ committed 30 million Euros to support LVBC through KfW. Then, we got an additional 8.9 million Euro from other partners, which we probably wouldn’t get if it wasn’t for this initial investment from KfW. What I appreciate in this partnership is the complementary of the Germany implementing agencies, KfW and GIZ. Whereas KfW supports us directly financially, GIZ advises us technically, e.g. via capacity building in critical areas that are essential to ensure that what we invest in will be more sustainable.”  Eng. Coletha.
Through KfW, the German Development Bank, Germany is enabling LVBC to develop a Water Information System that will monitor water quality and quantity within the basin. This will help LVBC deliver on its mandate and monitor the impact of interventions within the basin. In addition, Germany is supporting four Partner States to invest in high priority projects in the sanitation sector to reduce lake pollution.
Through GIZ, LVBC is undertaking analytical studies and producing reports which will inform better strategic planning, investment prioritisation, effective use of resources, and improvement of horizontal cooperation between the stakeholders around the basin. This will enable LVBC to advise Partner States on strategic investments to improve natural resource management for the benefit of the region. In addition, the partnership focuses on engaging institutions with similar mandates within the region and beyond to share best practices on transboundary water management. Furthermore, GIZ partners with LVBC to develop bankable projects that will attract more investment in the region and delivery on the LVBC’s mandate on the lake, people, and ecosystem.
Find more information on LVBC here.