Absence of a formula based approach to budget allocation at the Ministry of Water and Irrigation has led to large inequities for water access in Kenya, with the poor paying more compared to the rich, and millions going without adequate access everyday. This finding is contained in a new analytical brief released by Twaweza titled "It's Our Water Too! Bringing Greater Equity in Access to Water in Kenya." Uwazi analysts have aggregated facts from a range of credible sources that demonstrate that persistent inequalities in access to water services in Kenya can be quickly reduced if an approach that links investments and resource allocation to needs rather than political weight is adopted and implemented. Fortunately, key data for such a formula are now available from the 2009 population census and the national poverty maps.

Three special editions of the Shujaaz.fm comic focusing on the Proposed Constitution of Kenya will be published and distributed in Kenya's Saturday Nation over the next three weekends starting from 17th July 2010. The comics are published by our partner Well Told Story in collaboration with the Committee of Experts (COE) and the National Cohesion and Integration Commission. Additional copies of the comic will also be available from participating Safaricom MPESA agents countrywide. Six hundred thousand copies of the comic will be distributed each week.

"Article 53 of Kenya's constitution emphasizes every child has an equal right to education however the question we raise is does every child have an equal opportunity?" says Sara Ruto, the Uwezo Regional manager.

A recently launched policy brief that highlights the skewed distribution of water in Kenya in favour of the rich continues to generate a media buzz and has been cited severally.

Twaweza is collaborating with Mediae,the producers of Makutano Junction - the famous weekly drama shot in Kenya - in the production of the Season 11 edition of the series. The Season 11 edition seeks to raise public awareness on issues that affect citizens' everyday life like basic education, health and water and encourage them to take charge, engage with the processes and demand for better services. The series is expected to air in early 2011.

The Kenyan Daily Nation newspaper reports that a research assessing the literacy and numeracy competencies of Class 3 pupils in Kenyan public schools has revealed shockers for policy makers and parents alike. Fifty two percent of the children cannot read, write or count to the required standard, 70% missed school for one reason or another and 60% of them had already repeated one class.