Turkana Deputy Governor Dr. John Erus has led county engagements during a three-day joint visit by United Nations Heads of Agencies to Kakuma and Kalobeyei, which concluded on September 4, 2026.
The UN delegation pledged to align support with priorities set by the county and national governments, with a focus on inclusive public services, sustainable livelihoods and social cohesion between refugees and host communities.
The visit brought together 14 UN Heads of Agencies and programme leads, led by Dr. Garry Conille, the UN Resident Coordinator in Kenya, and Fatima Mohammed Cole, the UNHCR Kenya Representative. The delegation engaged county and national government officials, including Turkana County Commissioner Julius Kavita and Mercy Mwasaru, OGW, the Acting Commissioner for Refugee Affairs.
Discussions focused on the Government-led Shirika Plan, which seeks to move away from parallel, humanitarian-driven service delivery towards an integrated, development-focused model anchored in county systems.
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In Turkana, the Kalobeyei Integrated Socio-Economic Development Plan (KISEDP) remains central to translating this vision into concrete investments and development initiatives led at the county level.
“No single agency can deliver the Shirika Plan alone. Our role as the UN Country Team is to listen to the county, the Government, and communities, and align our mandates behind their priorities. What we’ve seen in Kakuma and Kalobeyei will guide coordinated support that strengthens county-led systems while meeting the ongoing needs of refugees and host communities,” said Dr. Conille.
Dr. Erus said refugee inclusion should result in improved public services, infrastructure and economic opportunities benefiting both refugees and host communities.
“For Turkana County, refugee inclusion must translate into stronger public services, infrastructure, and economic opportunities for both refugees and host communities. Through the Shirika Plan, KISEDP, and its ASPIRE Roadmap for 50by35, our county has an opportunity to build on progress made, strengthen county-led systems, and attract investment that creates jobs and drives development across Turkana,” said Dr. Erus.
The visit provided UN agencies with an opportunity to learn from the implementation of KISEDP and deepen their understanding of Turkana County’s and the national government’s priorities for advancing the Shirika Plan at the county level.
The engagement is expected to strengthen coordination between UN agencies, national and county governments, refugees and host communities as efforts continue to integrate refugee response with longer-term development planning in Turkana.
