For decades, the border region between West Pokot and Turkana counties has been synonymous with cattle rustling, revenge attacks and chronic food shortages.
Now, leaders and residents want to rewrite that story by turning the conflict-prone zone into a vast food production belt anchored on the proposed Lower Turkwel Irrigation Project.
Speaking during a public participation meeting at Turkwel, Arid and Semi-Arid Lands Cabinet Secretary Beatrice Askul said the government had begun structured consultations to allow communities to decide whether to accept, reject or propose changes to the multi-billion-shilling project.
“This project will benefit the people of West Pokot, the people of Turkana and the country at large. But land is a sensitive and emotional issue. That is why we must come to the people, explain the project and listen to them before anything is done,” Askul said.
She said Kenya had also engaged Uganda because of the cross-border nature of the Turkwel basin, adding that discussions had already taken place at the level of President William Ruto and the Ugandan leadership.
“Development cannot be imposed. It must be agreed upon by the people,” she said, adding that the next phase of the project would only proceed after public views are fully considered.
Askul said the irrigation scheme offered a rare chance to transform an area that has remained poor despite having enormous natural resources, including the Turkwel Dam.
“We want to change these battlefields into farming zones. This area is very fertile, and the dam is just here with a huge volume of water. But because of insecurity, investors have stayed away and our people have remained poor,” she said.
She noted that the region has long been trapped in a cycle of violence linked to cattle rustling, where one incident quickly triggers revenge attacks at grazing fields, water points and along roads.
“Someone steals one cow today, tomorrow there is revenge, then another attack, and it never ends. Even we as leaders are getting tired of this cycle,” she said.
Askul added that the region has for years been portrayed in the media through images of young men — and even young women — killing each other, instead of stories of development and opportunity.
“We are telling our people: let us start a new conversation. Let us change our way of living. Let us use the resources God has given us for development, not destruction,” she said.
She said the project is being implemented in line with a directive from President William Ruto, who wants the Turkwel basin developed into a major national food production zone.
Once implemented, the Lower Turkwel Irrigation Project is expected to put more than 3,000 hectares under irrigation, boost food production, create jobs and improve climate resilience in the arid and semi-arid region.
Turkana Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai said the project offered a rare opportunity to tackle both poverty and insecurity at the same time.
“For many years, Turkana people have suffered, Pokot people have suffered, and communities across northern Kenya have suffered because of conflict and outdated livelihoods,” Lomorukai said.
He said regions that depend on cattle rustling and insecurity are the ones that remain behind in development.
“It is time to say no to cattle rustling and yes to agro-pastoralism and farming. Turkana County has one of the highest numbers of livestock in the country, maybe even in Africa, but we must ask ourselves: what is that livestock really doing for us?” he posed.
The governor said the region must also begin adding value to livestock products and diversify livelihoods instead of depending solely on pastoralism.
He added that national resources such as oil in Turkana and water from Turkwel should not be viewed through ethnic or county lenses.
“Oil is for Kenya. Water is for the Republic of Kenya. These resources do not belong to one community. They belong to the nation, and they must be used to benefit everyone, including the communities where they are found,” he said.
