Lodwar – March 24, 2026 (Public Communication and Media Relations)
The County Government has today received assorted assets from the Mercy Corps led Nawiri Program during an official handover ceremony marking the close of a 7-year project implemented in Turkana and Samburu counties with funding from the United States (USAID).
The assets include 4 Land Cruiser vehicles and 19 motorcycles. The vehicles have been allocated to the County Departments of Health, Water, Agriculture and Office of the Deputy Governor. 7 motorbikes to support health facilities, 3 to Ward Planning Committees, 2 to support irrigation schemes and 6 to local implementing partners.
Speaking during the ceremony, Deputy Governor Dr. John Erus expressed appreciation for the partnership, noting that the Nawiri Program has played a critical role in strengthening systems aimed at reducing persistent acute malnutrition and improving livelihoods among vulnerable households.
“I want to publicly say that one of the programs that we as county government co-created and co invested in with were those supported by the US Government, including Nawiri,” he said.
He further noted that the multisectoral approach employed by the Nawiri Program has proven effective and practical, adding that the County Government is transitioning toward adopting similar approaches.
“I want to reassure you that we will continue to engage with other partners, including the US Government, on how we can sustain and continue with some of the programs that had a direct impact on people’s lives,” he added.
The Deputy Governor highlighted the Nawiri-supported longitudinal study as an important document that will inform future programming, and cited the Ujuzi Mashinani initiative as a key intervention already to be adopted.
“Ujuzi Mashinani continues to be a game changer and is something that can be picked up. Trainees under Ujuzi Mashinani are in the process of receiving certification through the recognition of prior learning program, and the second phase of funding through the national program targets those individuals,” he said.
He also emphasized the importance of government-to-government interventions, particularly in the health sector, as the county transitions into sustaining gains achieved under partner-supported programs.
County Secretary Dr. Richard Ekai noted that the global funding landscape is rapidly changing, calling for proactive local strategies to sustain development gains.
“The funding world is changing so fast economically, politically, and socially. We have to be proactive within our localities and perhaps grab some of the remnants in terms of programming. For the Nawiri Program, the impact was felt deeply and is evident in our communities, and we promise to pick up and ensure continuity of these interventions,” he said.
Nawiri Program Director of Implementation Patricia Murie noted that the transition is part of a sustainability plan designed to ensure that investments made continue to benefit communities, emphasizing the importance of county ownership in driving long-term impact.
Present in the meeting were County Executives Dr. Epem Esekon (Health and Sanitation), Wiljustus Akwalata (Water Services) County Chief Officers Janerose Tioko (Partnerships), David Maraka (Agriculture), Dr. Gilchrist Lokoel (Medical Services), Agnes Mana (Preventive and Promotive Services), and Simon Etom (Water Services)
