Kerio – 23rd October, 2025 (Public Communication and Media Relations)

The County Department of Water Services has handed over two project sites under the Horn of Africa Groundwater for Resilience Project (HoA-GW4RP) Lot 2 schemes to upgrade existing water infrastructure in Kerio, Turkana Central Sub-county.

The two sites handed over were Nang’olekuru and Loturtur, with additional handovers planned for other Lot 2 schemes Lotubae-Lokwii-Namortung’a in Turkana East and Kang’ikimak in Turkana South.

The World Bank–funded HoA-GW4RP aims to strengthen systems for the sustainable development and management of groundwater resources in drought-prone areas. The project is also being implemented in Marsabit, Wajir, Mandera and Garissa counties.

The handover exercise was led by the project’s County Coordinator, Eng. Fredrick Rukoo, who briefed the Loturtur and Nadoto communities on the projects’ scope and formally introduced the contractor.

“The project will create employment opportunities for all members of the local community,” said Eng. Rukoo.

Turkana Central Sub-county Administrator, Esther Kiyonga, informed residents that a larger baraza would be held later. She explained that would bring together them, County Water Services leadership and their leaders before the commencement of construction works.

Deputy County Commissioner for Turkana Central, Thomas Siele, urged the community to cooperate with the contractor and cautioned against vandalism.

At Loturtur, resident Joyce Loupa Chilakeny welcomed the project, saying it would bring reliable freshwater supply once the existing borehole was rehabilitated.

“The borehole has a lot of fresh water, and with the rehabilitation, we will finally have clean water,” she said.

She pointed out that currently the residents were fetching water at a shallow well at a nearby river.   

At the second site in Nadoto, which falls under the Nang’olekuru scheme, the community mobilizer James Lomuria Awote said the project would ease the burden on women who walk about 2 kilometers to fetch water from the river.

“The project includes four water kiosks, meaning clean water will now be closer to the villages,” he noted, adding that it would also provide jobs for local residents.

Others present at the handover included village and national administrators, and HoA-GW4RP project consultants.