Lodwar-August 29, 2025 (Public Communications and Media Relations)

The Department of Lands, Physical Planning and Urban Areas Management convened a high-level stakeholder meeting to explore areas of collaboration in land governance, spatial planning, and urban transformation.

Led by the Deputy Governor, Dr John Erus, he underscored the importance of partnerships in unlocking opportunities for sustainable land management and inclusive urban development.

“Effective partnerships are vital in addressing emerging challenges such as rapid urbanization, informal settlements, and sustainable infrastructure planning in Turkana,” he elaborated.

Chief Officer for Lands and Physical Planning Leah Losiru highlighted key policy directions and ongoing initiatives, reaffirming the county’s commitment to harnessing external support to strengthen governance systems.

On his part, Chief Officer Urban Areas and Municipality Peter Lomurkai outlined priority gaps and needs in service delivery, infrastructure development, and spatial planning, stressing the importance of coordinated support from both state and non-state actors.

The Deputy Director Resource Mobilization, Partnership, and Donor Relations Michael Aupe facilitated the discussions on strategies for leveraging partnerships to enhance infrastructure, improve service delivery, and strengthen land governance systems.

The attendees centred discussions on aligning donor cycles and partner priorities with the county’s urban development agenda.

The Municipality Managers Lodwar and Kamum- Eng Benjamin Tukei and Peter Emuria respectively presented priority gaps in infrastructure development and service delivery within their respective jurisdictions. They called for enhanced collaboration to address these challenges.

The partners representatives present, including UNHCR, FAO, UN-Habitat, and UNICEF, among other NGOs, private sector, and community-based organizations, collectively shared their thematic areas and potential opportunities for collaboration.