Lodwar – June 20, 2026 (Public Communication and Media Relations)
The County Government, through the Department of Natural Resources, and in partnership with the Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT), has launched a public participation exercise to gather residents’ views on the proposed establishment of a conservancy in the Turkana County.
The consultative forum brought together local residents, community leaders, county government officials, and representatives of NRT. The purpose was to discuss the proposed conservancy, its objectives, and its potential impact on livelihoods and environmental conservation.
Speaking during the meeting, Deputy Director for Natural Resources Pauline Ng’oli said the initiative aligns with the County Government’s development agenda and is anchored in the County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP), providing a policy framework for its implementation. She added that the public participation process is intended to raise awareness, improve understanding of conservancy development, and ensure communities are actively involved in decision-making.
“The objective is to achieve conservation goals while creating opportunities that directly benefit local communities through improved natural resource management and sustainable livelihood programmes,” she said.
NRT Chief Partnerships and Growth Officer Tom Lalampaa, said the organisation supports community-led conservation initiatives across northern Kenya. This, he said, it focuses on wildlife conservation, climate resilience, peacebuilding, renewable energy, and livelihood diversification.
He noted that conservancies can generate socio-economic benefits through tourism, environmental restoration, and water infrastructure development, alongside community projects supported by conservation programmes.
Residents from Nalapatui, however, expressed concerns over the proposal, citing fears of human-wildlife conflict and the risk of losing community land under the conservancy framework.
Community members and youth representatives called for greater transparency and continuous public engagement to address misconceptions and ensure residents fully understand the proposed conservancy model before any decisions are made.
Sub-County Administrator (SCA) Christine Nalemsekon assured participants that all views collected during the consultations would be considered in the planning process. She emphasised that no final decision would be reached without adequate public participation and community consent.
The public engagement exercise forms part of ongoing efforts by the County Government and its partners to promote sustainable natural resource management while balancing conservation objectives with community interests.
The forum drew a broad cross-section of stakeholders, including Hon. Francis Ng’imusia (MCA, Letea Ward), Hon. Julius Edung Apuron (MCA Kalobeyei Ward), elders, opinion leaders, members of the pastoralist community, and NRT Project Lead Khadija Hussein.
