From Rowdy Cartels to Organized Ones? The Transfer of Power in Urban Water Supply in Kenya

Abstract

Due to the limited presence of formal water utilities in urban low-income areas in many developing countries, water supply is carried out by informal private providers. As part of efforts towards improving water services to low-income areas, the activities of these informal providers are currently being acknowledged through various formalization approaches. This article investigates one such formalization approach, which consists of partnerships between the utility and the informal providers. This is an approach which allows the utility to partially withdraw from service provisioning to the low-income areas. Based on empirical evidence from three such partnerships in low-income areas in three Kenyan cities, we show in this article that formalization redefines and strengthens the legal capacity of informal providers to gain control of service provision in these areas. This can bring benefits for the utility as well as for consumers. However, it also risks legitimizing and furthering the exploitation of consumers by informal providers. Keywords Formalization • Partnerships • Informal water providers • Formal water utility • Low-income areas • Kenya RésuméEn raison de la présence limitée de services d'eau officiels dans les zones urbaines à faible revenu de plusieurs pays en développement, l'approvisionnement d`eau est assuré par des prestataires privés informels. Pour améliorer les services d'eau dans les zones à faible revenu, les activités de ces fournisseurs informels sont actuellement reconnues par diverses approches de formalisation. Cet article examine une de ces approches de formalisation, en l`occurrence, celle qui se compose de partenariats entre le service public et les fournisseurs informels. C'est une approche qui permet au service public de se retirer partiellement de la fourniture de services d`eau dans les zones à faible revenu. Á partir des preuves empiriques issues de trois partenariats de ce type dans trois villes du Kenya, nous montrons dans cet article que la formalisation redéfinit et renforce la capacité juridique des fournisseurs informels à maîtriser la fourniture de services dans ces domaines. Cela peut présenter des avantages tant pour le service public que pour les consommateurs. Cependant, cela risque aussi From Rowdy Cartels to Organized Ones? The Transfer of Power… de légitimer et de favoriser l'exploitation des consommateurs par des fournisseurs informels. Water utilities in Kenya through benchmarking, collective learning and innovative financing (PEWAK) project funded by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency.

The potential for scaling up container‐based sanitation in informal settlements in Kenya

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