LODWAR, Kenya — The Turkana County Government has signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to strengthen collaboration in service delivery and support development interventions targeting vulnerable communities across the county.
Deputy Governor Dr John Erus signed the agreement on behalf of the county, alongside IRC Turkana Field Office Head Joshua Rutto, formalising cooperation across several critical sectors.
Under the agreement, the two institutions will collaborate in health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), economic recovery and development, protection, advocacy, systems strengthening and research, disaster management and emergency response.
Dr Erus said the partnership builds on IRC’s longstanding presence in Turkana, noting that the organisation began its interventions in the county in the early 1990s, before the establishment of devolved governments.
He credited IRC with contributing to the strengthening of healthcare systems and improving livelihoods among refugee communities in Kakuma.
“With this agreement, the County and IRC will join hands in strengthening capacity for inclusive delivery of health services in Turkana, including animal and human disease surveillance and intervention along the Kenya-Uganda-Ethiopia-South Sudan border areas,” Erus said.
The Deputy Governor said the agreement would also create opportunities for the county and IRC to jointly mobilise resources for development programmes.
He added that the partnership would facilitate utilisation of the IRC ISO-certified laboratory in Kakuma, potentially strengthening disease surveillance, diagnosis and response capacity in the region.
Partnership aligned with county development plans
Rutto said the agreement forms part of IRC’s broader strategy to ensure its programmes are aligned with Turkana’s development priorities and planning frameworks.
He said the organisation would align its interventions with the county’s current and upcoming County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP), the Kalobeyei Integrated Socio-Economic Development Programme (KISEDP) and the Shirika Plan.
Rutto added that IRC would continue participating in various sector working groups to improve coordination and service delivery, working within the framework established by the county through its Directorate of Partnerships and Resource Mobilization.
“We are happy that the joint work and consultation between IRC and the county has birthed this MoU. Through this agreement we can now strengthen service delivery to all the vulnerable groups targeted by IRC interventions in both the host and refugee populations,” Rutto said.
The partnership is expected to strengthen coordination between the county government and humanitarian and development actors while improving the reach of services to both host communities and refugees.
Focus on vulnerable communities
Turkana hosts a large refugee population, particularly around Kakuma, while communities across the county continue to face challenges linked to drought, food insecurity, limited access to healthcare and other humanitarian pressures.
The agreement’s focus on health, nutrition, WASH, protection and economic recovery is therefore expected to support both emergency response and longer-term resilience among vulnerable populations.
The emphasis on cross-border disease surveillance could also strengthen preparedness for outbreaks in communities living along the Kenya-Uganda-Ethiopia-South Sudan border areas, where population movement and livestock migration can increase public health risks.
The MoU comes as Turkana prepares for the second edition of the annual NGOs and Development Partners Week, which is expected to provide another platform for the county government and development partners to review ongoing interventions and strengthen coordination.
The signing was witnessed by Deputy Director of Partnerships and Resource Mobilization Mike Aupe, Health, UHC and Partnerships representative Sylvester Ebei Eoko and Social Protection representative Alex Marangach.
Naphtali Kamau represented the Office of the County Attorney during the signing.
The county government and IRC said the new framework will provide a stronger basis for coordinated interventions, joint resource mobilisation and more inclusive service delivery to communities across Turkana.
