Turkwel, December 10 , 2025 (Public Communication and Media Relations)
One week after endorsing the first-ever Physical and Land Use Plan designed to guide the urbanization of Turkwel in Loima Sub-County over the 2025–2035 period, residents have now approved the final adjustments proposed during the validation meeting.
Chief Officer for Lands and Physical Planning, Leah Losiru, described the endorsement as a major milestone in the County’s efforts to strengthen spatial planning and orderly development of the area.
According to the ten year plan, 30.2km2 of land from the intersection between Kospir and Turkwel river all the way to Lolupe Primary School has been earmarked for zoning and structured development.
Chief Officer Losiru confirmed that plans were underway to kickstart the development of similar plans for the neighbouring Nakamane and Nadapal areas in the coming years.
Chief Officers Losiru added that the completed Turkwel plan will be forwarded to the County Assembly and the County Executive for formal ratification as an official planning document.
On his part, Chief Officer for Urban Areas Management, Peter Lomorukai, affirmed that the process leading to the development of the plan adhered strictly to the procedures stipulated in law noting that public participation was undertaken at all stages.
“The presence of the National Land Commission, the administrative wing of the County Government, and local leaders shows that everyone was on board. We intend to continue this way until when the implementation of the plan begins,” Lomorukai said.
He noted that the planning process was made possible through support from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), with funding from the European Union (EU), under initiatives geared toward strengthening land governance systems in Turkana.
National Land Commission (NLC) County Coordinator Mark Ewesit commended the quality of the final document, urging residents to embrace it.
“I am proud that the County has produced such a high-quality plan. Once ratified, NLC will facilitate its depositing at the main Lands Registry as required by law,” Ewesit said.
Area’s sub county administrator Jackson Apenyu used the occasion to communicate that development partners seeking to invest in Turkwel will now be required to adhere to the provisions of the plan.
“Now that the plan has passed the most critical stage of public endorsement, all partners and programs coming to Turkwel must see to it that they invest in the designated areas. Not just anywhere,” he said.
Director Joseph Egiron, the Director Survey and focal person for the FAO Digital Land Governance Program (DLGP) and John Kilimo, the Deputy Director Physical Planning led the presentations together with technical staff from the ministry. The endorsement meeting was also used to unpack the content and details of the plan to the public.
A representative of FAO, the North Rift Technical Coordinator, Linda Achieng was also present.
