Duale said the decision aligns with ongoing government efforts to streamline state corporations with overlapping functions, ensuring efficiency and effective use of resources.
KWTA, established under Gazette Notice No. 31 of April 2012, had its legal basis lapse over a year ago, prompting the move.
“The agency’s functions have often overlapped with other institutions like the Kenya Forest Service (KFS), Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI), and the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA),” Duale said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
As part of the dissolution, KWTA’s board has been disbanded, with its chairperson and directors reassigned to other government positions.
Duale has directed Principal Secretaries for Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry to expedite an audit of KWTA’s assets, liabilities, and staff.
“All staff of KWTA will be deployed to the ministry and its agencies based on their established competencies,” Duale added, assuring that the redistribution will enhance resource efficiency.
The move is part of wider reforms sanctioned by the Cabinet to eliminate redundancies in public institutions.
By folding KWTA’s roles into existing agencies, the government aims to optimize resource allocation and strengthen oversight of Kenya’s natural resources.
Stakeholders in the environmental sector have welcomed the dissolution, describing it as a step toward better coordination and improved service delivery.
The realignment is expected to boost the operational capacities of agencies such as KFS, KEFRI, and NEMA, which already oversee critical environmental functions.
Duale emphasized the ministry’s commitment to a seamless transition, noting that ongoing environmental conservation and climate change mitigation efforts will remain uninterrupted.
“The government remains committed to sustainability and resource optimization as key pillars of its reforms,” he said.
The audit process is expected to clarify the distribution of KWTA’s assets and personnel while reinforcing existing structures to better manage the country’s forests, water catchment areas, and natural resources.