International donor agencies and partners are on a fact finding mission in Turkana county to establish the state of the projects funded in partnership with the government.
The highly powered team including officials from UNICEF and Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) in the company of Japan Ambassador to Kenya Ken Okaniwa visited the water projects against a backdrop of a severe drought ravaging the region.
Chief Officer in the Ministry of water Moses Natome who led a joint team including officials from the County Water Ministry said the visit was to showcase the impact of the projects the agencies had funded with a view to extend them elsewhere so that more residents can benefit.
After a tour of the Kenya Oil Water scheme in Kangatotha, Turkana Central, Natome said that the project design was intentionally integrated to address the various water needs of the area residents.
Natome said the integrated schemes catered for human consumption, watering of animals, and extension to the nearby health and educational facilities to address all unmet water needs in the rural community.
Noting that TCG-UNICEF/KOICA had delivered 76 such schemes in Turkana Central and Loima, Natome urged the envoy to consider further funding to expand the project to the remaining sub-counties in a bid to bridge the huge water access gap in Turkana.
The envoy expressed interest in securing donor support for drought response and resilience building of the locals against shocks arising from climate variations as manifested through prolonged drought.
The visit comes at a time when the County and its partners are actively pursuing donor support towards the worsening drought situation due to failed rainfall in the past.
Chief Natome expressed confidence that the visit will yield consent for further support and open new opportunities to expand water access to unserved rural communities in the expansive county.
By Peter Gitonga
