Permanent Secretary
ENG. DAVID STOWER, CBS, OGW – CURRICULUM VITAE
Born in 1956 in Busia District, Western Province. He attended Malanga Primary School and Alliance High School before proceeding to University of Nairobi where he graduated with B.Sc in Civil Engineering in 1979. He subsequently undertook postgraduate diploma in Water and Wastewater Engineering at the same University and later an M.Sc (Engineering) in Water Management at University of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. He is a Professional Engineer, Registered with Engineers Registration Board (R. Eng); a member of Society for International Development (MSID); a member of American Society of Civil Engineers (MASCE) and Fellow of Institution of Engineers of Kenya (FIEK).
After graduation, he joined the then Ministry of Water Development in 1979 as an Assistant Engineer where he had a 25 years illustrious Public Service career rising to the post of Director of Water. While at the Water Ministry, he steered far reaching and major institutional, policy and legislative reforms in that sector that ushered in the new Water Act, 2002 focusing on decentralization, devolution of water sector governance and creation of new regulatory and service delivery framework.
In 2004, he was appointed Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Development where he initiated major reforms in Livestock, Dairy and Fisheries Sub sectors focusing on rolling out a new Dairy Industry Act, National Livestock Policy, new Fisheries Policy; Reforms in Extension Services, implementation of Strategy Revitalization of Agriculture, and establishment of Disease Free Zones to avail livestock for export market. He also initiated efforts to diversify productivity in the Fisheries sub sector by pursuing new frontiers on Lake Turkana and the Coastal EEZ besides Lake Victoria. While there, he presided over the successful revival of Kenya Meat Commission (KMC), as his last notable assignment in the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Development.
In December 2005 he was appointed as Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Regional Development Authorities. At Regional Development, he initiated and completed the formulation of a regional development policy, which was currently absent and had been the main reason for six Regional Development Authorities failure to focus and define their core business and mandates. Later he successfully presided over negotiations between Tana and Athi River Development Authority (TARDA) and Mumias Sugar Company for possible partnership in the development of a multibillion Tana Delta Sugar Investment Project.
He is currently serving as Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Water & Irrigation following the formation of the Grand Coalition Government by H.E President Mwai Kibaki, CGH, MP as from April, 2008. At Ministry of Water and Irrigation, he has focused his energy on completing implementation of the water sector reforms targeting major reforms in the irrigation sub-sector and initiating a large water infrastructure development to scale up the Kenya’s water security. Towards this end, a National Irrigation Policy; a Water Sector Strategic Plan; a National Water Storage Master Plan; a new National Water Master Plan and a new large dam for City of Nairobi among others have been initiated in order to respond to the Vision 2030 National Development Strategy.
He is a career technocrat having served for over 30 years in the Civil Service without interruption.
He is pursuing on a PhD program at the School of Law, University of Nairobi with speciality in the field of Regulatory Governance Systems of water utility services in Kenya.
In recognition of his dedicated service to the Nation, he was in 2002 awarded the Order of the Grand Warrior of Kenya (OGW), and in 2005 awarded Order of the Chief of the Burning Spear (CBS) 1st class.
On the social scene he is a full member of the following clubs; Muthaiga Country Club; Muthaiga Golf Club; Royal Nairobi Golf Club; Kitale Club; Kabete Vet. Lab Sports Club and Invergara Club.
He is married with three children.
He is an active golfer and participant in community development affairs in various parts of the country.
Tel: +254-722-514757; +254-772-514757; +254-735-514757
June 2010