USAID WASH Project Cancellations Cause Waste and Flooding in Kenya

The cancellation of numerous USAID projects by the Trump administration, particularly in the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) sector, has led to severe consequences, including significant financial waste and humanitarian crises. An investigation using satellite imagery, mapping, data analysis, and internal documents revealed the devastating impact of these abandoned infrastructure projects.

The Plight in Kenya: A Case Study

In Kenya, the Kamlenza Irrigation Scheme, designed to provide water for agricultural fields, was left unfinished. Farmers, who had initially held great hope for increased productivity, now face severe challenges. The incomplete canal system, intended to distribute water, instead causes uncontrolled flooding, waterlogging fields, and destroying crops like bananas. This has led to financial hardship for farmers and a plea for the project's completion.

The project required only an additional $217,000 to complete, a negligible amount within USAID's overall budget. Despite this, the work was halted, and the site abandoned. Across Kenya, 26 WASH projects were ongoing when USAID stopped its work, and it would have cost approximately $2 million to finish them all.

Waste and Inefficiency

The Trump administration justified these cancellations by claiming USAID was wasteful, inefficient, and misaligned with American interests. However, the investigation found that many projects were already in advanced stages of implementation, not in the design or evaluation phases, when stop-work orders were issued. This resulted in abandoned materials and partially completed infrastructure, leading to substantial financial waste. Former USAID staffers reported that there was no meaningful review process for these cancellations, despite promises from figures like Marco Rubio.

The financial loss includes not only the abandoned infrastructure but also salaries paid for work that ultimately yielded no benefit. While an exact tally is difficult, the wastage is considered significant.

Unintended Consequences: The Kimorigo Flooding

A key finding of the investigation concerns the village of Kimorigo, where severe flooding occurred. While 2026 did not experience unusually high rainfall, the intensity of the flooding was exceptional, particularly on the western side of the village near the unfinished irrigation scheme. This suggests that the abandoned infrastructure exacerbated the flooding, making the system function worse than before.

The human impact has been severe, with an explosion of diarrhea cases, especially among children. This highlights how cutting budgets for projects not explicitly labeled "lifesaving" can still have deadly knock-on effects on livelihoods and public health.

Broader Implications and Loss of Credibility

The situation in Kenya is just one example of a larger pattern. Records indicate that at least 80 other programs worldwide were canceled, projects that were intended to bring water to an estimated 11 million people.

The decision to withdraw from countries based on strategic interests, while a long-standing diplomatic practice, is seen as dangerous when executed without understanding the ongoing work and its humanitarian implications. The budget for USAID, typically 0.6% to 0.7% of the national budget, is a small amount, yet the predictions of lives lost due to these cuts are in the tens of millions.

The investigation also challenges the notion of "soft power" in foreign aid. While some argue that the US is losing soft power, many countries are reportedly content with a more transactional approach, similar to their dealings with China and other partners.

Ultimately, the abrupt cessation of these projects has led to a loss of credibility for the US government, leaving communities and former USAID employees in uncertainty about their future and the impact of their work. The investigation underscores that abandoning unfinished infrastructure without proper surveillance or safety measures can lead to unintended and far worse consequences than if the projects had never begun.