Turkana: Water and sanitation stakeholders in Turkana have drafted the County Water and Sanitation Strategy and Investment Plan under the Kenya Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Programme (K-WASH), aimed at improving access to clean water and sanitation across the county.
According to Kenya News Agency, K-WASH is a six-year initiative (2024-2030), funded by the World Bank and the National Government, targeting 19 arid and semi-arid counties, including Turkana. Speaking at the opening of a three-day workshop, Chief Officer for Water Services, Mark Achilla, urged participants to develop a strategy that would ensure Turkana keeps pace with other beneficiary counties. "According to the Project Operations Manual, Turkana's strategy is eligible for Sh130 million from the World Bank," he said, stressing the importance of the strategy in unlocking funds and kick-starting implementation.
Chief Officer for Medical Services, Dr. Gilchrist Lokoel, noted that Turkana required unique solutions to sanitation challenges. "Sanitation in Turkana requires innovation, not a copy-paste of traditional classroom knowledge," he said, adding that each population group-nomadic pastoralists, agro-pastoralists, fisherfolk, and urban residents-needed tailored solutions. He urged municipalities to invest in sewage systems to reduce the reliance on septic tanks.
Director for Water Services, Paul Lotum, said the strategy would bridge existing gaps in water provision and sanitation, while County K-WASH Coordinator, Tito Ochieng, emphasized the focus on the "last mile"-bringing clean water and sanitation closer to households. Participants included representatives from county departments of health and environment, UNHCR, UNICEF Kenya, the Department of Refugee Services, the National Ministry of Education, and IsraAid.