Dr. Kenan Okurut

Senior Lecturer

Email: kokurut@kyu.ac.ug

Location: CIV 01 New Engineering Complex

Biography

Kenan Okurut is a senior lecturer with over 20 years’ experience in interdisciplinary national and international research and consultancy focusing on improving water and sanitation services in low- and middle-income countries. Kenan holds a PhD from University of Surrey – UK, an MSc Civil Engineering from Makerere University (U) and a Bachelor of Engineering in Civil and Building Engineering from Kyambogo University (U). His work has been funded by Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Government of Uganda (GoU), World Health Organization (WHO), UK Research & Innovation (UKRI), Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF), World Bank (WB), Royal Academy of Engineering (RAE) and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). The work funded has been in Ethiopia, Kenya, Nepal, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania and Uganda. Prior to joining Kyambogo University, Kenan was a coordinator of Appropriate Technology Centre of the Ministry of Water and Environment – Government of Uganda.

Selected Research Projects

  • Advancement of Occupational Safety, Health and Environment (OSHE) Knowledge and Skills in Uganda’s Higher Educational Institutions and Industrial Sectors, funded by Royal Academy of Engineering (2022 – 2024)
  • Sanitation and Climate change: Assessing Resilience and Emissions (SCARE) research project, funded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, led by University of Bristol (2020 – 2024)
  • Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) “Improving Water Safety Planning: Data to

decisions – case studies from Uganda and Rwanda” funded through the University of Surrey,

UK (2020 – 2022)

  • A rapid, high-level analysis of water safety planning in rural communities using groundwater sources in Uganda and Malawi”, funded by UK Research & Innovation (2019 – 2020)
  • Review of World Health Organization (WHO) water quality Sanitary Inspection (SI) forms through project funding by EPSRC Global Challenges Research Fund and University of Surrey, UK (2016 – 2018)
  • Climate, health, water and sanitation priming study for UK-Africa Research network lead by Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, UK (2016 – 2017)
  • Promotion of rainwater harvesting at households and institutions using revolving fund approach in three study districts in Uganda, funded by GoU (2015 – 2016)
  • Catalyzing self-sustaining sanitation chains in informal settlements in East African cities; Kampala (Uganda), Kigali (Rwanda) and Kisumu (Kenya), funded by Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) (2011 – 2014)
  • Increasing access to safe drinking water by disinfection using solar and UV radiation towards reducing incidence of debilitating diarrheal disease in rural and peri-urban Uganda, Millennium Science Initiative funded by the World Bank (2009 – 2011)

Publications

Selected Publications

Journal Articles

Herschan, J.; Tsinda, A.; Okurut, K.; Malcolm, R.; Lapworth, D.J.; Pond, K. 2023. Progress of Using Risk Assessment to Manage Small Drinking-Water Supplies in Rwanda: A Preliminary Study. Processes 2023, 11, 748. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/pr11030748.

Herschan J., Richard King, Theresa Mkandawire, Kenan Okurut, Dan J Lapworth, Rosalind Malcolm & Kathy Pond (2020). The potential for citizen science to improve the reach of Sanitary Inspections.  Resources, 9, 142.

Herschan J., Rickert B., Mkandawire T., Okurut K., King R., Hughes S., Lapworth D. J., & Pond K. 2020. Success factors for Water Safety Plan implementation in small drinking-water supplies in low- and middle-income countries. Resources, 9, 126.

King R., Okurut K., Herschan J., Lapworth D. J., Rosalind Malcolm R., McKeown R. M. & Pond K. 2020. Does Training Improve Sanitary Inspection Answer Agreement between Inspectors? Quantitative Evidence from the Mukono District, Uganda. Resources, 9, 120.

Kwitegetse, P., Okurut, K. & Muhwezi, L. 2018. Enhancing A Sustainable Safe Water Supply For Rural Communities Of Mabungo Parish, Kisoro District. International Journal of Research and Publications, 8, 8-8.

Okurut, K., Nuwamanya, M., Isoke, J. & Wozei, E. 2018. Management structure as a factor of performance of Solid Waste Management projects in African municipalities: A case of Bushenyi-Ishaka Municipality, Western Uganda. Rwanda Journal of Engineering, Science, Technology and Environment, 1.

Okurut, K., Kulabako, R. N., Chenoweth, J., & Charles, K. 2014. Assessing demand for improved sustainable sanitation in low-income informal settlements of urban areas: a critical review. International Journal of Environmental Health Research, 1-15.

Okurut, K., Kulabako, R., Adogo, J. M., Chenoweth, J., Pedley, S., Tsinda, A., & Charles, K. 2014 Access to improved sanitation facilities in low-income informal settlements of East African cities. Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development.

Okurut, K. and Charles, K. J. 2014. Household demand for sanitation improvements in low-income informal settlements: A case of East African cities. Habitat International 44(0): 332-38.

Okurut K., E. Wozei, R. Kulabako, L. Nabasirye, C. Niwagaba, J. Kinobe 2013. Calibrating an optimal condition model for solar water disinfection in peri-urban household water treatment in Kampala, Uganda. Journal of Water and Health 11(1): 98-109.

Tsinda, A., P. Abbott, S. Pedley, K. Charles, J. M. Adogo, K. Okurut, and J. Chenoweth. 2013. Challenges to Achieving Sustainable Sanitation in Informal Settlements of Kigali, Rwanda. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (10): 6939-54.

Okurut K., E. Wozei, R.N. Kulabako, L. Nabasirye, J. Kinobe (2013). Calibrating an optimal condition model for solar water disinfection in peri-urban household water treatment in Kampala, Uganda. Journal of water and health. Vol. 11 No. 1 IWA Publishing (2013). DOI: 10.2166/wh.2012.199

International Conference papers

Howard G., J. Willets, B. Evans, N. Andre, A. Geremew, A. Ghimire, B. Ngom, K. Okurut (2023). Balancing adaptation, emissions and public health in sanitation services. Water and WASH Futures Conference, Brisbane, Australia 13-17 February, 2023.

Okurut K., M. O. Obbo & S. Adoch (2018). Systematic improvements in humanitarian WASH

services: Uganda refugee settlements. 41st WEDC International Conference, Nakuru, Kenya, 9-13th July, 2018.

Okurut, K., P. Kimera & A.N. Bamutaze (2016). Performance of Iron removal plants on ground water: Field assessment in Central Uganda. 39th WEDC International Conference, Kumasi, Ghana 11 – 15 July, 2016.

Okurut, K., K. Charles, R.N. Kulabako. (2014). Learning opportunities for sanitation improvements in informal settlements of East African cities. 37th WEDC International Conference, Hanoi, Vietnam 15 – 19 September, 2014.

Okurut K., R.N. Kulabako, J.M. Adogo, J. Chenoweth, S. Pedley, A. Tsinda, K. Charles (2013). Improved sanitation in low-income informal settlements – A case of Eastern African cities: Is it a myth? UNC Water and Health Conference 2013: Where Science Meets Policy. University of North Carolina, USA 14 – 18 October, 2013.

Charles K., and K. Okurut (2013). Identifying barriers and catalysts to improved sanitation in informal settlements in East Africa. UNC Water and Health Conference 2013: Where Science Meets Policy. University of North Carolina, USA 14 – 18 October, 2013.

Wozei, E., R.N. Kulabako, K. Okurut, L. Nabasirye, V. Atukunda, J. Kinobe (2012). Solar Water Disinfection – Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices in Peri-Urban Ugandan Households. IWA-Water Safety Plans 2012 Conference, Kampala, Uganda, Nov 13-15, 2012.

Nabasirye, L., E. Wozei, R.N. Kulabako, V. Atukunda, D. Arinaitwe, R. Kaggwa, K. Okurut, C. Niwagaba, J. Kinobe (2012). Solar water disinfection for household water treatment in peri-urban households in Uganda to reduce diarrhoeal disease. IWA-Water Safety Plans 2012 Conference, Kampala, Uganda, November 13-15, 2012.

Adogo M., R. Malcolm, T. Kaime, L. Okotto, K. Okurut, A. Tsinda (2012). The right to sanitation in legal frameworks with reference to urban informal settlements of Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda. RICS COBRA 2012 International Research Conference, held at Arizona State University, Las Vegas September 11-13, 2012.

Nabasirye L., R. Kulabako, V. Atukunda, E. Wozei, J. Kinobe, K. Okurut, D. Arinaitwe (2011). Household drinking water characteristics in a peri-urban community: the case of Kifumbira Zone, Kampala, Uganda. WEDC Conference, Loughborough, UK, July 6-8, 2011.

Okurut K., E. Wozei, R.N. Kulabako, R. Kaggwa, L. Nabasirye, D. Arinaitwe, V. Atukunda, C. Niwagaba, J. Kinobe (2011). Application of solar water disinfection to enhance water supply and sanitation in rural and peri-urban communities in Uganda. IPWE Conference, Singapore, Singapore, January 4-6, 2011.