The County Government of Turkana has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Johanniter International to strengthen partnerships, mobilise resources and improve the delivery of essential services to residents.
The agreement seeks to complement ongoing development efforts, with a focus on healthcare, maternal health, youth programmes, water access, social support and institutional capacity building.
Deputy Governor Dr. John Erus, who represented the County Government during the signing, said stronger coordination between the county and development partners was critical to achieving sustainable development.
Dr. Erus called for the localisation and improved coordination of contributions from development partners to ensure external support remains aligned with Turkana’s development priorities.
He said the County Government’s Directorate of Partnerships was developing a system to onboard development partners and strengthen coordination, information sharing and decision-making.
According to Dr. Erus, the system would support the county government’s ambition of reducing poverty by 50 per cent by 2035 through stronger resource mobilisation, including increased use of the county’s own-source revenue.
“We need to strengthen our systems to coordinate and localise the contributions of our partners so that they support the development priorities of Turkana,” Dr. Erus said.
The Deputy Governor also highlighted water shortages in Lodwar and called for urgent interventions, including the establishment of additional emergency boreholes to address the growing water needs of residents.
He further urged development partners to support preparedness and preventive measures ahead of the anticipated rainy season, particularly in light of the potential increase in malaria cases.
Dr. Erus emphasised the importance of sector-based programming to ensure interventions are coordinated, targeted and responsive to the specific needs of communities.
He clarified that the MoU was not intended to replace existing social support programmes but would instead provide a framework for partners to work together and strengthen ongoing interventions.
On health and maternal healthcare, Chief Officer for Partnerships Janerose Tioko stressed the importance of continued investment in healthcare services, particularly for vulnerable communities.
Tioko noted that maternal health remained a critical area requiring sustained support and stronger partnerships to improve access to and the quality of care.
Johanniter Country Director Jacinta Hurst pledged the organisation’s continued support for youth and community initiatives in Lodwar while highlighting Johanniter’s ongoing work in Turkana.
Hurst also called for greater alignment of development partners’ programmes with the county’s priorities, particularly in health, water access, youth empowerment, poverty reduction, livelihoods and institutional capacity building.
The agreement is also expected to promote investment in sustainable systems capable of delivering long-term development impact.
Those present included Regional Director Cephas Munjeri, County Economist Samson Ekamais and Ekal Lokuruka from the Office of the County Attorney, among other senior County Government officials.
