Addressing Citizen-Participation for Sustainable Water & Sanitation Services in Kenya's Low-Income Areas

Inadequate water utility services in the low-income areas (LIAs) of Kenya remains the greatest water sector challenge for the coming decades, especially with a fast-growing low-income population. Land tenure issues, vandalism, unlicensed water service providers, irregular payment of fees, and poor urban planning are cited as the major limitations for the utilities. Citizen participation in the overall water governance framework is, however, also limited. Through a literature review approach, this article explores the inherent gaps in citizen participation in water governance in the LIAs and recommends measures for its systematic integration for enhanced water and sanitation access in Kenya’s LIAs