The European Union (EU) and civil society organisations are advocating for the formalization of informal water and waste operators in Kenya. This move aims to improve access to essential services and create new opportunities for local enterprises to thrive. The EU delegation argues that affordable licensing and integration into public service delivery could empower informal operators and enable them to partner with the private sector and government.
The push for formalization comes as informal businesses continue to play a significant role in water distribution, waste collection, recycling, and other services, particularly in urban and underserved areas. The Kenya Sustainable Water and Waste Management Policy Forum (KSWWMPF) brought together national and county governments, development partners, private sector players, academia, civil society, and informal operators to discuss policy recommendations.
The forum is using evidence from Kisumu, Nakuru, and Makueni counties to develop policy recommendations for national and county governments. A high-level panel is examining the intersection between formal and informal water and waste management in the three counties, while community representatives are discussing how the current policy and operating environment affects informal businesses.
The organisations are also advocating for public-private partnerships that can help informal operators grow into locally owned enterprises. This includes creating opportunities for businesses involved in waste recovery and water provision to access financing, technology, and formal markets. The Strengthening Civil Society Engagement for a Just and Sustainable Urbanization (SCEJU) project has trained 9,139 informal water and waste actors and equipped 268 trainers of trainers across Kisumu, Nakuru, and Makueni.
Women account for 55 to 60 percent of the informal waste actors trained under the programme, representing a 21 percentage-point increase from the baseline, according to the project. The SCEJU project has also financed six community enterprises, including smart water kiosks, a Material Recovery Facility, and digital waste-trading platforms.
The forum is considering delegated management models as a way of expanding water services in informal settlements. A session on the model will be led by Kisumu Water and Sanitation Company Managing Director Thomas Odongo. Another session will examine opportunities for informal waste operators to grow their enterprises through Material Recovery Facilities.
The push to formalize the sector could create a framework for informal operators to move from small, largely unregulated activities into recognised service businesses capable of partnering with county governments and private companies. Participants are expected to develop policy recommendations, build a partnership framework for informal enterprise development, and agree on commitments at the end of the forum.
Key points
- Informal water and waste operators in Kenya will be licensed and integrated into public services under a new policy push by the European Union and civil society organisations.
- The formalization of informal operators aims to improve access to essential services and create new opportunities for local enterprises to thrive.
- Women account for 55 to 60 percent of the informal waste actors trained under the SCEJU project.
