Lodwar, April 22, 2026 (Public Communication and Media Relations)

Deputy Governor Dr. John Erus has reaffirmed the County Government’s commitment to child protection and welfare, emphasizing the need to strengthen children’s participation in governance and decision-making processes.

Speaking during the Turkana Children’s Conference organized by the Department of Children’s Services, the Catholic Diocese of Lodwar and social protection partners, Dr. Erus supported proposals to begin children’s conferences at the sub-county level before advancing to the county stage.

“Together with Governor Lomorukai, our focus on children and social protection is clearly articulated in Agenda Five on the revitalization of education. We are working closely with partners to achieve this goal,” he said.

Dr. Erus cited the staffing of ECDE centers, improvements in education infrastructure and the deployment of social protection officers across the county as evidence of the administration’s commitment to safeguarding children’s rights and welfare.

“Our concern for children’s rights also borrows from our earlier involvement in the peace and justice mission spearheaded by the Catholic Diocese of Lodwar. We remain committed to safeguarding the gains made and further improving service delivery,” he added.

The Deputy Governor also urged elected leaders to actively participate in such conferences, noting that their presence would help boost civic awareness among children and strengthen their understanding of participation as a civic right.

“In addition to hosting conferences and establishing children-led governing councils at the sub-county and eventually the county level, we encourage both elected and community leaders to regularly engage with children,” he said.

Wilson Losike, Programmes Convenor at the Catholic Diocese of Lodwar, said the conference aims to build children’s leadership and governance capacity, enhance life skills and values, and empower them to speak out on issues affecting them.

“Children are not only the adults of tomorrow, they are also a pathway to addressing peace and justice.Through peace clubs, 4K clubs and civic participation initiatives, they contribute to peace building, climate change mitigation and responsible citizenship,” Losike said.

Turkana has now become the second county in the former Rift Valley region to host a county-level children’s conference after Kajiado, with more counties expected to follow suit in the coming weeks.

County Children’s Officer Jared Atsiaya commended development partners for supporting the event, including the Diocese of Lodwar, UNICEF, Save the Children, IRC, World Vision, IsraAID, FCDO, AICHM, ERIKS, the Kenya Red Cross Society and the County Government.

Atsiaya said the conference forms part of broader efforts to integrate Turkana children into the national governance structure of the Children’s Council.

“One of the key expectations is to conduct elections. The elected leaders will form Turkana’s Children’s Council and earn the opportunity to participate in national forums,” he said.

He also warned that violations of children’s rights attract severe legal penalties under Kenyan law.

Child participants at the conference were drawn from all the eleven sub-counties of Turkana.

The children, aged between 10 and 17 years, include boys, girls and learners with disabilities, reflecting the county’s commitment to inclusive participation.