The German Cooperation has reaffirmed its commitment to improving sanitation within the Lake Victoria Basin through a regional sanitation programme being implemented in partnership with the Lake Victoria Basin Commission across four East African Community (EAC) Partner States.
Speaking during the development Partners Round convened as part of the Inaugural Lake Victoria Day in Mwanza Tanzania on 20th May 2026, Ms. Vanessa Eidt, Country Director of KfW German Development Bank in Tanzania, announced that of the EUR 83 million active portfolio dedicated to Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in the Lake Victoria Basin, EUR 57 million is being implemented by KfW as grants, with additional support from a European Union grant for water sector infrastructure investments in the cities of Kisumu, Kampala, Kigali, and Mwanza.
“We are pleased that the tendering process for the construction works under the so-called High Priority Investments (HPI) for wastewater management infrastructure has commenced,” said Ms. Eidt.
She added “these important interventions will significantly reduce effluent discharge into Lake Victoria and directly support the lake’s catchment basin. Through these investments, improvements in the water quality of Lake Victoria will be realized, while delivering tangible benefits to sanitation conditions in the four participating member states.”
Ms. Eidt commended the efforts made by governments, regional institutions, scientists, community groups, and development partners in advancing the programme. She also emphasized the importance of regional collaboration in strengthening policy harmonization, environmental governance, water resource management, and climate resilience.
The cities of Kisumu, Kigali, Kampala, and Mwanza are set to benefit from the regional sanitation initiative.
In Kisumu, the project will support the construction of 550 modern toilet blocks in the Manyatta A informal settlement. Additionally, a 15-kilometre extension of the sewerage network will be undertaken to reduce the discharge of untreated waste into Lake Victoria.
In Mwanza, the High Priority Investment project seeks to increase sewer connectivity across the city, enabling optimal utilization of the existing Ilemela Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) up to its installed capacity.
The project aims to improve sanitation services, protect the environment, and enhance public health outcomes throughout the Lake Victoria Basin. Planned activities include the construction of 14.4 kilometres of infill sewer lines to collect and convey wastewater from the areas of Igogo, Kitangiri, Kirumba, Pasiansi, and Nyamanoro to the Ilemela Wastewater Treatment Plant.
The project will also facilitate the installation of 1,600 new sewer connections for households and institutions, alongside hygiene promotion and public awareness campaigns designed to encourage improved sanitation practices among residents.
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