The Kenya Nile Discourse Forum (KNDF) on Wednesday concluded its long-awaited general elections in Kisumu, filling four key leadership positions that had been held on an interim basis following years of funding constraints.
At the Annual General Meeting, formally constituted as the General Assembly, incumbent chairperson Joseph Peter Ngome was re-elected unopposed, extending his tenure at the helm of the forum. John Maji was also elected an upposed as general secretary without contest, while Venny Ratemo and Roseline Eshikumo were elected vice-chairperson and treasurer, respectively.
The elections were held during KNDF’s second Annual General Meeting, which brought together delegates from across Kenya’s Nile Basin counties.
Speaking after his re-election, Ngome said KNDF is part of a broader Nile Basin network spanning 10 countries, including Egypt, Sudan, South Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Burundi, with its regional secretariat headquartered in Entebbe, Uganda.
Ngome attributed the delay in holding elections to prolonged funding challenges, noting that the previous polls were conducted in 2021.
“Funding delayed the process, but once resources became available, we had to return to the members and complete the elections,” he said. “This General Assembly follows a series of meetings and trainings on climate change, community awareness and nature-based solutions, knowledge that must reach even the village level.”
He pledged to strengthen service delivery to members and expand the reach of KNDF programmes across communities in the Nile Basin, saying the unopposed re-election reflected members’ confidence in his leadership.
“I have served in this organisation since 2003, and being elected again both at the national and regional levels shows that members believe the vision is being delivered,” Ngome said.
He further disclosed that the World Bank is funding a major KNDF initiative dubbed the NCRCR project, which focuses on basin-wide data collection. The project began in April 2025 and is scheduled to run until March 2027.
“Expectations are high because there is clear funding and defined areas of focus. With this support, we are confident of achieving our goals,” he added.
Ngome also underscored strong youth and women inclusion within the organisation, noting that young professionals are benefiting from paid internships and secretariat-level employment, while women are organised under the Nile Women Network.
To bolster governance and regional representation, six board members were selected from Homa Bay, Migori, Kisii, Siaya, Kakamega, Bomet, Kericho and parts of the Rift Valley.
The newly elected executive now takes office with renewed momentum as KNDF seeks to deepen climate action, strengthen data-driven advocacy and expand community engagement across Kenya’s Nile Basin and the wider region.
