Evaluation of the performance of investments in public utilities: a case study of water utilities in Kenya

Abstract

Since 1974/75 fiscal year, about one in every twenty five pounds of the total expenditure of government ministries in Kenya is spent on water supply programmes and related services in the Ministry of Water Development MoWD), the principal agent of the government for water supplies development. About thirty five percent of Kenya’s population does not have access to safe quality and sufficient water at present. Moreover, women who bear the heaviest burden of fetching water used in homes, spend between two and four hours (fourteen to thirty percent of their working time each day) on water collection. Consequently, it could be very difficult, if not impossible for the government to achieve the development objective of the water sector of providing safe and sufficient water supply within reasonable distance o every household around 2000 A.D