Bridging the divide between ambition and reality — a candid look at Kenya’s sanitation challenge.
Kenya’s sanitation sector stands at a crossroads — a space where visionary national goals encounter the difficult realities of everyday life. Despite Kenya’s formal commitment to achieving SDG 6: universal access to safely managed sanitation, progress remains painfully uneven.
“The gap between aspiration and access is not just technical — it’s social, economic, and systemic.”
Current outcomes are shaped by deep inequities and governance fragmentation, where low prioritization of investment has long favored high-cost sewerage systems over scalable, decentralized solutions. The result is an ecosystem where millions, especially in urban informal settlements and ASAL regions, remain excluded from basic sanitation dignity.
While programs like Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) have achieved remarkable success—over 10,000 villages declared Open Defecation Free (ODF)—the gains remain fragile. An estimated 4.7 million Kenyans still practice open defecation, revealing persistent implementation bottlenecks.
Beyond access, the transition to “safely managed” services exposes an even more critical infrastructure deficit. Less than 20% of urban residents are connected to sewer systems, and only around 5% of sewage is effectively treated nationwide.
Despite new frameworks like Sessional Paper No. 7 of 2024 signaling strong political intent, true progress depends on dismantling institutional silos and converting fragmented data into actionable strategy. Without data-driven alignment, Kenya’s sanitation vision risks stalling before 2030.
“Policy without coordinated data is a promise without a pathway.”
Achieving equitable sanitation for all requires more than ambition—it demands unity, data sharing, and sustained collaboration. The SaniBook provides the foundation for that transformation.
Discover How SaniBook Bridges the Gap