Lodwar, 6th November 2024 (Governor’s Press Service) — Members of the Kakuma Municipality Board were officially sworn in today. They are Ebenyo Ewesit (Chairperson) and members Namuya Raphael, Mercy Loogos, Michael Nabuin, David Apalia and Florence Apus.

Addressing the board members after the swearing-in ceremony, Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai emphasized the importance of resource mobilization and robust revenue collection as key measures to foster development in the municipality.

He highlighted the establishment of the board as a critical step towards building and nurturing the municipality’s potential. He noted that Kakuma holds a unique advantage over Lodwar due to the presence of numerous development partners and emphasized that the new board would need to mobilize resources effectively to capitalize on this potential.

“The country is facing significant economic challenges, affecting the flow of resources from the National Government,” Governor Lomorukai said. “This necessitates our county to bolster its own revenue generation and collection to meet our development needs.”

He also expressed concerns about revenue leakage due to cartels operating in Kakuma and Kalobeyei, calling for structured systems to curb such issues.

The Governor further challenged the Kakuma Municipality Manager to adopt innovative approaches to maximize the municipality’s growth. He urged all stakeholders to work together towards a shared vision for Kakuma’s development.

Chairman of the County Assembly Committee on Lands Patrick Esekon, who attended the function with a team from the committee, praised the Governor for his efforts to expedite the board’s formation. He also called for investments in infrastructure to further unlock the municipality’s potential.

MCAs from Turkana West Julius Apuron (Kalobeyei), and Gilbert Topos (Lopur) echoed support for the board’s establishment. Board Chairperson Ebenyo pledged that the board would engage collaboratively with all stakeholders to benefit the residents of Kakuma. He outlined immediate priorities for the board, such as the formulation and enactment of by-laws and strategic planning for the municipality’s future.

Deputy County Secretary Joseph Nyang’a reaffirmed the county’s commitment to supporting both Lodwar and Kakuma municipalities, assuring that staff redeployment and the transfer of functions were in progress to enhance service delivery.

Chief Officer for Municipalities and Urban Areas Management, Peter Lomorukai committed to work with MCAs to strengthen Kakuma Municipality. He noted that the municipality was actively working to meet World Bank requirements to qualify for funding.

Other senior county officials present included Acting Solicitor David Esuron, Municipality Managers Benjamin Tukei (Lodwar) and Peter Emuria (Kakuma), and Director of Litigation Ekal Lokuruka.