The Karamoja Cluster Steering Committee on peace, involving leadership and partners in Turkana, West Pokot and Karamoja Counties have met in Kapenguria, West Pokot to review, discuss and chart way forward on peaceful co-existence of the warring communities.
The Turkana Executive for Agriculture, Livestock Development and Fisheries Dr Anthony Apalia Co-Chaired the Karamoja cluster for the Strengthening Capacity of IGAD to Increase Drought Resilience in the Horn of Africa (SCIDA III) Cross-Border Project Steering Committee meeting.
The Kapenguria meeting supported by GIZ is piloting SCIDA III measures in Kenya and Uganda and action points based on performance of the SCIDA II project.
Further, presentations on rangeland interventions in Kenya and Uganda were reviewed, where there was need to mobilise communities to sustainably manage cross border rangelands of 50,000 hectares across the region.
This was essential in ensuring measures to strengthen the resilience of local pastoral and agro-pastoral communities within the Karamoja region are put in place.
In his remarks, Dr Apalia stated that the consultation meeting was significant for its ideas, which he said, will help inform on follow-up projects within the three cluster communities.
He called on the Committee to provide seamless and technical expertise to realise the objectives of SCIDA III Project across the region.
“It is evident 70% of the Karamoja Cluster communities depend on Livestock as source of their livelihood, hence the need for effective rangeland management.” CECM noted.
On the other hand, his Co-chair counterpart, Karamoja Local Council Chairman, Nangole Joseph Lobot revealed that the SCIDA III Project has empowered communities across the region through provision of water and rangeland management, calling for timely implementation of the projects ahead of its phase out.
GIZ Project Coordinator West Pokot and Turkana Counties, Flora Kanga acknowledged the Committee participation in monitoring the projects, which she said, activity implementation will be informed by the technical action oriented recommendations from the Steering Committee.
During the meeting, Karamoja Development Forum (KDF), the IGAD Centre for Pastoral Areas and Livestock Development (ICPALD) got an opportunity to present the Pastoralism Policy workplan, in a bid to foster cross border cooperation towards increasing drought resilience.
At the same time, the Committee conducted a field visit to Kacheliba Livestock Market and Chepesebei borehole for a checklist on quality and nature of completion of general rehabilitation of SCIDA III projects in West Pokot.
It engaged the livestock market association and the water management on governance, sustainability, livelihood, security and health and sanitation among other things.
The committee will provide technical recommendations to SCIDA III Secretariat for project implementation.
The Deputy County Commissioners (Turkana West, Lokichoggio, Loima, Kacheliba,Alale), Sub-County Administrators (Turkana West, Lokichoggio, Loima, Lokiriama, Kacheliba,), Resident District Commissioners (Nakapirpirit and Kaabong), Uganda People Defence Force Liason Officer and staff from the two counties, were all present.
Representatives from GIZ, IGAD, National Drought Management Authority (Turkana and West Pokot), National Cohesion and Integration Commission, Community Development Capital Initiative, Karamoja Development Forum, Karamoja Agricultural Pastoral Development Program also attended the meeting.
