Turkana Deputy Governor Dr. John Erus has urged faith-based organizations implementing development and humanitarian programmes in the county to formalize their engagement with the County Government through Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs).
Speaking during a meeting with a delegation from the Free Pentecostal Fellowship in Kenya (FPFK), Dr. Erus said formal agreements would enhance coordination, eliminate duplication of efforts and ensure development interventions align with the County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP).
The delegation paid a courtesy call to the Deputy Governor to introduce the Ubunifu Youth and Environmental Project, a three-year initiative that seeks to equip out-of-school youth aged between 18 and 35 with employable skills while strengthening their capacity to participate in climate change adaptation between 2026 and 2028.
“As a county government, we are committed to working with all partners, including faith-based organizations for the benefit of our people. However, we require the signing of a binding MoU to formalize such engagements,” said Dr. Erus.
He commended FPFK for its contribution to Turkana’s development since 2019, noting that its programmes had strengthened community resilience through interventions in health, education, livelihoods, peacebuilding and environmental conservation.
Dr. Erus said the Office of the County Attorney, in collaboration with the Directorate of Partnerships, would support the organization in developing an MoU to guide its partnership with the county government.
Speaking on behalf of FPFK, Turkana Regional Bishop John Lokuruka said the Ubunifu Youth and Environmental Project is being implemented in partnership with the Norwegian Pentecostal Mission (NPM) with funding from Digni.
Bishop Lokuruka said although the project had already been launched and implementation was underway, the organization remained committed to formalizing its collaboration with the county government.
He noted that FPFK’s interventions in Turkana cover climate change adaptation, renewable energy, water and health services, livelihoods, peacebuilding and resilience programmes.
The meeting was attended by Deputy County Secretary Dr. Albert Gamoe, Director of Protocol Peter Lomauge and Deputy Director of Partnerships Michael Aupe.
FPFK was also represented by Ubunifu Youth and Environmental Project Officer Alga Balla, Turkana Climate Change Programme Officer Daniel Mbugua and Peace and Resilience Programme Officer Alex Echom.
By Peter Gitonga
