Lodwar- February 26, 2026 (Public Communication and Media Relations)
Voices from across Turkana Central dominated discussions as more than 200 residents turned up to give their views on the County Fiscal Strategy Paper (CFSP) 2026, setting the tone for the Financial Year 2026–2027 budget.
The public forum, convened by the Directorate of Economic Planning, brought together participants from Kang’atotha, Kanamkemer, Lodwar Township, Kerio Delta, and Kalokol wards, alongside youth, women, business community, faith-based institutions, and representatives of special interest and vulnerable groups.
Across wards, one issue stood out — water.
Stephen Ekuwom from Kalokol Ward urged the County Government to prioritize stalled water projects before initiating new ones.
“Our main challenge has been water shortage. We really need piped water in Kalokol above everything else. The rest can wait, but water is absolutely important,” he said.
Catherine Lopong’o from Kanamkemer Ward echoed similar concerns, highlighting shortages in Nawotin and Loturerei and proposing piping water from Nawoitorong to surrounding villages. She also called for hiring of more nurses to support night services and the establishment of a dispensary in Locheresekoi.
“We are grateful for this opportunity to speak about our priorities. Water and health services are urgent needs for our people,” she said.
According to Daniel Ng’imoloi from Kerio Delta Ward, Kerio Delta is one of the rural wards that face water scarcity issue, therefore prioritizing rehabilitation of existing boreholes and drilling new ones should be a priority.
Livelihoods and security around Lake Turkana
For Kangatotha residents, livelihoods and security featured prominently. Paul Ekorot emphasized the importance of supporting fishing communities along the lake and investing in irrigation farming along River Turkwel, including areas such as Naoros.
“The lake is our main source of livelihood, yet we are heavily affected by insecurity. We need fishing gear, resettlement support, and investment in our farms. Water also remains a major challenge,” he said.
Women, youth and vulnerable groups call for inclusion
Women traders from Lodwar Township called for expansion of markets to support small-scale businesses. Sylvia Emuria noted that many families depend on women-led enterprises.
“Markets are our lifeline. Opening more markets, especially in other outskirts parts of Lodwar, will improve livelihoods for many families,” she said.
Youth participants welcomed the opportunity to engage in the budgeting process. Jane Ekuwom, a 25-year-old from Napetet described the forum as a learning platform and a chance to ensure youth priorities are reflected. This was a first time for her.
“This budget affects us as young people. It is important that our voices are heard and represented,” she said.
Faith-based and social sector representatives also pushed for increased allocation to vulnerable populations. Mark Nakain, Program Coordinator at the Diocese of Lodwar, called for an increase in the County PWDs Development Fund beyond the current Kshs 20 million to address growing and diverse needs among persons with disabilities, the elderly, and orphans. “Vulnerable groups have been neglected for a long time, and it is important for our needs to be prioritized given the increasing numbers,” he said.
Turkana Central Sub-County Administrator Esther Aremon said extensive mobilisation was undertaken to ensure representation from all wards and special groups, supported by 29 village administrators and local chiefs.
“Public participation is a constitutional right. While not everyone could attend, we encourage participants to cascade these discussions to their communities,” she said.
How the views shape the budget
Birgen Kennedy, Finance Officer at the Directorate of Economic Planning, explained that the forum forms part of the statutory budget-making process anchored in national and county planning frameworks, including Vision 2030, the Medium-Term Plans, and CIDP III.
He noted that the County anticipates approximately Kshs 16.5 billion in revenue from equitable share, own source revenue, and conditional grants. “The collected public views will inform the final CFSP document to be submitted to the County Assembly for approval and will guide resource allocation in the upcoming financial year,” he stated.
Overall, the residents from Turkana Central were clear on their priority needs including water security, improved health services, stronger livelihoods, and inclusive development to take centre stage in the 2026–2027 budget.
Present were senior officers from the Directorate of Economic Planning and Disaster Management, Deputy Sub-County Admin in Turkana Central, Patrick Nacho, ward administrators from across Turkana Central wards, village admins and administrative chiefs.
