Lodwar- June 11, 2025 (Public Communication and Media Relations)
The County Government has launched a three-year cross-border peace and climate resilience program aimed at helping communities anticipate, prevent, and adapt to climate-induced shocks and conflict-related displacement. This is especially targeted for women and girls.
Led by the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark through DANIDA, the program has an investment of about Ksh672 million.
Speaking during the launch, the Deputy Governor Dr John Erus said the project comes at a crucial time as the county scales up interventions to strengthen cross-border peace and build climate resilience.
He urged implementing partners to align their interventions with the project’s vision of fostering resilient communities. He also assured them of the county’s support in creating an enabling environment.
“The county is enhancing traditional peacebuilding mechanisms, including the Lokiriama Peace Accord and the One Health initiative known as Kimormor, especially in the Kenya-Uganda border,” said Dr Erus.
The County Commissioner Julius Kavita emphasised on the importance of formalised resource-sharing agreements between cross-border pastoralist communities to avert conflict.
“Resource sharing along the border is key to maintaining peaceful co-existence and reducing vulnerability to intercommunal conflict. However, respective government security agencies must strengthen surveillance to deter peace spoilers hiding behind the outdated practice of cattle rustling,” he said.
DRC Country Director Simon Nzioka said the programme was informed by extensive consultations aimed at placing the community at the centre of implementation.
“With support from the Danish Government, we will implement this programme from 2025 to 2027 to address the twin challenges of climate change and conflict in the Kenya-Uganda border region,” he said.
Raphael Locham, the programme manager at DRC, noted that the initiative will target North Pokot, Loima, Lokiriama/Lorengippi in Kenya as well as Amudat, Moroto, and Napak in Uganda.
“We aim to empower over 33,000 people with skills and capacities to adopt climate-resilient and peace-promoting approaches,” he said.
The program is expected to deliver both software components—such as training—and hardware interventions informed by research. These include water provision, livelihood diversification, ecosystem restoration, and climate-smart agriculture.
DRC will implement the initiative in collaboration with the Agency for Pastoralist Development (APaD), African Women Rising (AWR), and research firm Samuel Hall.
The launch brought together CECM for Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change Audan Leah Lokaala, Deputy County Secretary Dr Albert Gamoe, Director of Legal Affairs Ekal Lokoruka, Director of Peace Titus Lokorikeju, and Deputy Directors Thomas Kiyonga and Emmanuel Esau.
The partners present included DRC Head of Programmes Alistair Cowan, Karamoja Strong Project Manager David Oyori, Resident District Commissioners from Amudat, Napak and Moroto.
