A team of key stakeholders who have been working very closely with the county government on social protection, have this year, prioritized developing legal frameworks that would enhance service delivery and implementation of critical programs to persons with disabilities (PwDs), marginalized, minorities, and children.

Turkana County Government, World Food Programme, UNICEF, Kenya Law Reform Commission, County Assembly of Turkana, National Council for Persons with Disability (NCPWD), and representation from the Organization for persons with Disability (OPDs) have occasionally been meeting to review the Turkana County Persons with Disabilities (Amendment) Bill and the accompanying regulation, which are at an advanced stage of drafting before stakeholders consider them for validation.

Speaking during the stakeholders meeting at Kakuma, Chief Officer for Education and Social Protection, Moses Korea, said, “ I laud the continuous support of WFP in bringing to speed the relevant legal framework. With this reason, I would request the stakeholders to support the process of drafting the relevant laws to allow the Directorate of Social Protection to achieve its target of protecting and cushioning the vulnerable population from the ever-present socioeconomic shocks.”

He called on partners to align to the CIDP document and the Governor’s Nine-Point Agenda in streamlining delivery of transformative services to the people of Turkana County.

The Social Protection Director, Mark Amiyo, thanked the partners for the cordial working relationship and promised to continue working closely with every stakeholder to achieve the intended goal.

Amiyo notably observed that WFP and UNICEF are among the stakeholders enjoying mutual partnership relationship with the Directorate of Social Protection.

The WFP team from Nairobi Office, led by Mary Wambui, promised to continue supporting Turkana County through the Department of Social Protection, after the Bill and the Regulation are considered and approved.

She conveyed WFP’s message, insisting stakeholder’s support is necessary in the legislative process to have a user-friendly policy and conducive legal environment important for implementation of social protection programs.

This comes in just three months when WFP had supported County Government to carry out an exercise to identify, register and medically assess 403 PwDs in Lakezone Ward, Turkana North. The activity was aimed at exposing them to opportunities as since certificates have been warded.

At the same time, 53 PwDs Board and members have been trained on governance and leadership.