A huge water reservoir was discovered in the deserts of Kenya, what are the chances that local residents will benefit from it and not just foreign entrepreneurs?

The desert region of Turkana, where nomadic inhabitants live, may become a blooming garden thanks to a huge underground reservoir. The question is how it will be managed, in Kenya this is not a trivial question

In northern Kenya, Samburu and Turkana shepherd tribes share a dry desert area together with nomadic tribes. A combination of drought-stricken areas where there is a lack of water and pasture and neighboring aggressive tribes causes cattle rustling campaigns in which sheep and cattle are robbed and tribal members are killed. These raids are supposed to take the place of sheep and cattle that die due to lack of water and pasture.
Recently we were informed about finding water in the desert, water that might stop the backwardness of the inhabitants of the area, will the desert, dry, hot and most problematic area in Kenya become a green meadow? Will the Cholbi and Turkana deserts become vegetable gardens and fruit orchards?
Kenya is divided into provinces, the poorest among the provinces is Turkana where about 10 million inhabitants live, which is about a quarter of Kenya's population. Most of Turkana's residents are nomadic herders of sheep and cattle who depend on the little pasture and wells that are drying up. Is all this about to change?

On 11/09, the Kenyan government announced in collaboration with UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)) about finding water in quantities that, according to the advertisers, would be enough to irrigate the residents of all of Kenya for 70 years. The estimate of the amount of water discovered is about 200 billion cubic meters, which are in the aquifers in the basin of Turkana and Lotikipi (Turkana, Lotikipi). The findings based on geological data, test drilling and satellite radar data show that two aquifers in the desert have water whose pumping and use will change the face of the desert and the lives of the inhabitants.

Kenya is considered by the UN institutions as "a country where there is a chronic lack of water". The data shows that 17 million inhabitants do not have safe access to clean water. Today, the residents of Kenya use 3 billion cubic meters of water each year. The aquifers that were discovered in Turkana will make it possible to pump about 2 billion cubic meters every year, which means that they will add to Kenya two thirds of the amount of water it has used until now.

The happy discovery causes excitement but also skepticism since the governments of East Africa in general and Kenya in particular do not have the tools (administrative and legal) to manage the water sustainably.
The government has no way of guaranteeing that the water will not be taken over by foreign (for example from China) or private entities whose interest is not in improving the living conditions of the local residents.
According to the laws of Kenya, the water belongs to the state and the state authorities give permits for the use of water, but according to a report by the World Bank from 2011 (Kenya - Groundwater governance case study) "there is a limited and lacking understanding of the relationship between groundwater and surface water", "limited understanding also between The professional factors", as a result there is no awareness of the need to protect groundwater sources.
Although there are "water regulations", the regulations do not have a detailed reference to groundwater, or to the management of lands and areas under which aquifers (reservoirs) have been discovered even in places (districts) where there are regulations for the use of groundwater, because of the overlap of authorities that deal with the environment and water, there are compromises in enforcing the regulations compromises that cause to waste

Representatives of the association "Friends of Lake Turkana" warn that "in the absence of regulations and a mandatory activity framework for utilizing the resources and determining who will benefit from them, there is a danger that the natural wealth will not improve the living conditions of the country's residents."

While the people of Turkana do not take part in the "water discourse", government spokesmen are already distributing "new water" to the entire country. How much of this will the Turkana receive?

The discovery of the water came after in 2012 Tullow Oil announced the discovery of millions of barrels of oil in the Lokichar Basin. "Friends of Turkana" warn against a discourse similar to the one that developed following the discovery of oil, since investors only calculate the "flow of oil" and do not think about benefits for the residents.

The government must help the residents to understand that apart from drinking the discovered water there is a possibility to earn money. It is possible to use the water for crops that will give financial profit to the growers. Of course, for nomadic shepherds, farming crops and selling produce constitutes a huge change in their way of life, and they must be prepared for this.

Spokespeople for the Ministry of Environment, Water and Natural Resources claim that production licenses have been granted to private entities, which will allow the Turkana people to be supplied with water within two weeks, "water that will be economical for the communities."

"Friends of Turkana" see the government spokesman's statement as the beginning of the problem - granting rights to private entities that will pump water to generate profits without the full participation of the Turkana people, since without full participation the Turkana people will not have the opportunity to enjoy the discovery and instead of improving conditions we will see more wars over water Violent intrusion into wells, attempts to take over pumps and facilities.

Like other tribes of herders and nomads, the Turkana people are also known as "fearless warriors", a direct attack on what will be considered "theirs", an unjust distribution (in their opinion) of the water will not lead to the expected prosperity.
Many companies are known for their (not always fair and honest) relationships with government officials, giving drilling concessions and supplying water to private companies without a clear and binding directive on the Turkana people's right to water... may cause another "water war". As in other cases and places, here too it is appropriate and correct to integrate the local residents in every decision, in every procedure and in every initiative and thus (and only thus) bring green prosperity to the desert region.

See news about the discovery on the BBC