Namanatlem, May 16, 2025 (Public Communications and Media Relations)
The pastoralist community in Namanatlem, Napusmoru in Turkana South have appealed to the County Government through the Department of Livestock Development to have them considered for more restocking drives, regarding themselves more vulnerable that any other community in the South Sub-county.
Residents were expressing their concerns to the Livestock Production officials, who came to preside over the distribution of 342 goats to the targeted 85 households with each receiving four.
Justifying their request for more goats in future restocking, residents reported how they have been forced to share with untargeted households in Napusmoru, Lochwaakwaan and Kangingolemong’in kraals, who also suffered the same fate, after they were raided in the last three months.
They claimed they are along Napusmoru-Kalapata belt with hotspot sites usually identified high risk during the dry spell of the year. And also it is where you have many concetrations of high number of livestock from the neighbouring villages in kerio and Katilia Wards.
Akiru Eruwan, 35, a resident in Namuriat village says, “the government’s good intention of restocking the most vulnerable in the community is diluted by sharing, out of will, what I was given to my close neighbour Apetet Lowoi, 39, who went home without.
For Akuri Lomolong, 70, an elder from Kaatikae village, recounted the ordeal which made him lose 85 goats after drinking from the contaminated well some three years ago. During then, families lost about 200 goats, most of them from kapese village. Lomolong decried, the four goats would not be enough to fully compensate him for the loss. And that’s why he needed for more restocking.
While noting the concerns raised by the community members, Director of Livestock Production, Bobby Ekadon, said it is evident that the restocking program is making impact to the most vulnerable families.
“Turkana pastoralists depend almost entirely on livestock for their entire life. At times of droughts, diseases, or banditry, many animals are lost. Restocking, therefore, helps families recover their basic source of livelihood,” Ekadon asserted.
He added, the livestock restocking program would continue for a while until livelihoods have been fully recovered after the shocks.
Unlike other centres, the team led by the Livestock Production Director got an opportunity to witness how community-based targeting of Namanatlem, Kangingolemongin, Namuriat, Tarach, Kaipat and Kaatikae villages was openly done, so that the most vulnerable are the only targeted. This was to enhance transparency and trust in the whole process.
During this process, the Veterinary Services Officer, John Njuguna was vaccinating and treating animals, to ensure only the healthy stock is distributed to the beneficiaries.
Present during the afternoon event was, Redempta Kamaret (Turkana South Sub-county Livestock Production Officer), and Administrators; Simon Koloi (Turkana South Sub-county), Ewar Narogoi (Assistant Director) Festus Lokucha (Lokichar Ward), Paul Loyokon (Namanatlem village) and Charles Eregae (Assistant Chief, Napusmoru).
