Water scarcity in Kenya

Water scarcity in Kenya is affecting the Kenyan population who relies on water resources, not only for drinking but also for agriculture and fishing. For example, wetland grasses are used to feed and keep livestock. Human populations throughout Kenya have been affected by a lack of clean drinking water due in large part to the overuse of land and increases in community settlements. A specific example of this is in the Mau Forest, in the highlands of Kenya, that is a major watershed for the country. In the Mau Complex, individuals have used land for their personal gain, creating homes and farms at the expense of the natural biodiversity.^[1]

The destruction of trees throughout the forest has caused severe soil erosion, which pollutes the water. This phenomenon exists all over the country and with the addition of animal and human waste into already polluted water, it has made finding clean water generally more difficult for Kenyan citizens. The current water conditions have caused a number of issues including many diseases and tribal conflicts over the remaining water resources.^[2]

Additionally, as clean water becomes harder to find, women are forced to walk for many miles each day to find the water needed for the family. Another huge problem with clean water in Kenya has been an influx of individuals moving to large cities such as Nairobi, which creates large slum areas that have some of the worst living conditions and most polluted water in the country. This interaction between humans and water is currently at a crucial point in Kenya as the nation faces a major shortage in the ability for citizens to receive the water they so desperately need. Significant improvements in land management and environmental policies can help make sure that this country has the water it needs on its way to becoming a developed country.^[2]