Lodwar, September 24, 2025 (Public Communication and Media Relations)
Deputy Governor Dr. John Erus has urged the team drafting Turkana’s first Urban Areas Development Policy to integrate safeguards for the county’s unique ecological and climatic features into the document.
According to Dr. Erus, such safeguards would ensure the policy responds to the realities of the existing municipalities of Lodwar and Kakuma while protecting the environment.
Speaking in Lodwar during the second day of a three-day policy forum, the DG warned that uncontrolled development especially in Lodwar could endanger Napuu, a major aquifer located in the area.
“For the case of Lodwar, the resulting policy must put strong measures against uncontrolled development. This is the only way to safeguard the aquifer against encroachment,” he said.
Adding that meteorological studies had indicated that Turkana lies at the heart of a regional rain ecosystem, DG Erus said that the resulting policy must protect the ecosystem said to be connecting Lake Turkana to the Congo Forest.
“A weak policy that fails to check the direction and speed of urban expansion may disrupt this delicate ecosystem and alter wind movement patterns. These considerations must be taken into account,” Dr. Erus explained.
The DG also drew lessons from a benchmarking visit to Japan, where participants studied waste management practices that could be replicated locally.
Convened under the theme “Enhancing Land as a Potential Development Resource,” brought together staff from Administration, Municipalities, Education, Legal Services, Communication, Lands, Survey and physical planning, Water, Environment and, Health.
The sessions were chaired and moderated by Deputy County Secretary for Cabinet Affairs Dr Albert Gamoe with the assistance from CECMs Faith Aletia (Lands, Physical Planning and Urban Areas Management) and Roseline Aite (Finance and Economic Planning).
Deliberations focused on housing and settlement, inclusivity, waste management and disaster preparedness as key inputs for the draft policy.
The forum was supported by the World Bank affiliated International Finance Corporation (IFC).
