The Turkana government is formulating a new policy to help streamline how development partners operate in the region.
The county is largely arid and attracts a high number of development groups, including donor agencies and NGOs.
It has completed validation of the draft Partnerships Coordination Policy by key stakeholders drawn from government, development agencies and academia.
The proposed policy outlines the coordinating role of the county government and establishes the institutions and structures that partners will be required to use in delivering services to residents over the next decade (2025–35).
Once adopted, Turkana will join counties such as Nairobi and Garissa that have functional partnerships coordination policies guiding development actors.
Speaking during the validation exercise, director for partnerships Mike Aupe said the policy was informed by research that revealed significant duplication of roles and challenges in service delivery due to the large number of partners operating without a guiding framework.
“We are lucky to have a significant number of development partners in our region who operate in a haphazard manner causing duplication of projects and programmes,” he said.
Aupe said the policy is expected to harmonise the planning of interventions, address existing coordination gaps and ensure resources are allocated equitably and efficiently.
He said the proposed framework enjoys strong backing from Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai, who has consistently emphasised the need for partnerships that deliver measurable and sustainable outcomes.
“The governor is keen to ensure that we all operate in a planned manner so that all projects and initiatives we undertake are guided by the new policy,” Aupe said.
He acknowledged the Unicef for supporting the process, saying the county had fully functional partnerships unit to drive the agenda.
Representing the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, Susan Aletia said Turkana’s development index remains significantly below the national average despite substantial investment by partners.
She attributed the gap partly to the absence of a coordination policy.
Aletia also reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to supporting the county through the policy adoption process, noting that a structured framework is key to accelerating Turkana’s development prospects.
The policy draft was unveiled by consultants from Turkana University College, including Dr Lucy Akinyi and Dr Collins Obura who highlighted the importance of evidence-based planning, accountability mechanisms and alignment of partner interventions with county priorities.
Development partners, who included VNGI, RCK, Save the Children, participated in the session, expressed their willingness to commit to the policy once it is finalised.
The policy will require all partners in the region to sign and MoU with the county government.
BY MATHEWS NDANYI
