Residents of the remote Kerelwa area in Batei Ward, Kipkomo Sub-county of West Pokot County have received a major boost following a multi-stakeholder community empowerment initiative aimed at improving livelihoods, strengthening food security, promoting environmental conservation and enhancing partnerships between schools and surrounding communities.
The Kerelwa Community Empowerment Event, held at Koporoch Girls High School, brought together national government officials, county leaders, development partners, learning institutions, civil society organisations, faith-based groups, the private sector and local residents in a collective effort to transform one of Kenya’s most climate-vulnerable regions.
The event had initially been scheduled to be presided over by Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, but he was represented by the Principal Secretary for the State Department for Forestry, Gitonga Mugambi, who was accompanied by Principal Secretary for Sports Elijah Mwangi and Principal Secretary for Public Works Joel Arumonyang.
The initiative sought to address persistent challenges facing Kerelwa and the wider West Pokot ASAL region, including recurring drought, food insecurity, declining livestock productivity, water scarcity, limited educational resources and youth unemployment.
Speaking during the event, Principal Secretary for Forestry Gitonga Mugambi said the Government was committed to transforming ASAL communities through climate-smart agriculture and environmental conservation while creating sustainable sources of income.
“The government has subsidised fertiliser to make farming affordable and profitable. We also urge farmers to embrace fruit farming because the President has already secured international markets for avocados in countries such as China and Japan,” said Mugambi.
He announced that the government is targeting the planting of about 100,000 avocado seedlings in the area, adding that the programme is expected to benefit more than 4,000 households and over 30 learning institutions through improved food production and household incomes.
Mugambi further revealed that experts from the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) and the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) would conduct field demonstrations to train farmers on proper fruit tree management to maximise production.
He noted that the initiative supports President William Ruto’s ambitious target of planting 15 billion trees by 2030, adding that West Pokot has an annual target of planting 14.9 million trees, with about five million already planted.
“Trees are not only important for conserving the environment but also improve air quality, attract rainfall and provide long-term economic benefits to families through fruit production,” he added.
The Forestry Principal Secretary later commissioned newly constructed classrooms and a dormitory at Koporoch Girls High School, developed through the county government’s ward development fund.
He also acknowledged the contribution of partners including the Kerio Valley Development Authority (KVDA), National Construction Authority (NCA), Tegla Loroupe Peace Foundation and Equity Bank for supporting the empowerment initiative through various donations.
Principal Secretary for Sports Elijah Mwangi challenged schools to invest more in co-curricular activities, saying sports play a critical role in nurturing talent, promoting discipline and creating future opportunities for young people.
“The government remains committed to providing a conducive environment for sports development because talent is an important economic resource. We want every child with sporting potential to have an opportunity to excel,” said Mwangi.
He donated footballs, complete football kits and other sporting equipment to schools that excelled during the inter-school athletics competitions and congratulated Koporoch Girls High School for reaching the regional championships held in Narok County.
Mwangi noted that the government is investing Sh26.4 billion in the development and upgrading of 39 sports stadiums across the country to support grassroots talent development.
Principal Secretary for Public Works Joel Arumonyang, who hails from the Kerelwa area, expressed pride in the progress made by the local community and urged residents to continue embracing development partnerships that uplift livelihoods.
“I am proud to see my home area making steady progress. Sustainable development is achieved when government, communities and development partners work together towards a common goal,” said Arumonyang.
West Pokot County Commissioner David Saruni described the initiative as a practical example of community empowerment that directly addresses the needs of vulnerable households.
“Tree planting is both an environmental and economic investment. While the government is working hard to increase forest cover, we will not tolerate individuals engaging in illegal charcoal burning and destruction of forests. Those found degrading the environment will face the full force of the law,” warned Saruni.
The County Commissioner further urged parents to prioritise education, describing it as the greatest inheritance they can offer their children.
He also announced that the National Government would conduct a month-long mobile national identity card registration exercise targeting residents living in remote parts of the county to improve access to government services.
Saruni encouraged all eligible youth aged 18 years and above to obtain national identity cards, register with the Social Health Authority (SHA) and enlist as voters.
The empowerment programme included community dialogues on food security, livelihood improvement and school-community partnerships, alongside the distribution of avocado, coffee and fruit tree seedlings, agricultural inputs and water tanks to improve household resilience.
Women entrepreneurs, youth groups, smallholder farmers, schools and vulnerable households are expected to benefit from the initiative through improved agricultural productivity, increased access to clean water, strengthened school-community collaboration and enhanced income opportunities.
The event also featured inter-school athletics competitions, cultural performances celebrating the rich Pokot heritage and a symbolic tree planting exercise involving all invited guests to reaffirm their commitment to environmental restoration.
Organisers said the initiative aligns with the Government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) by promoting inclusive economic growth from the grassroots through agriculture, environmental conservation, education and youth empowerment.
For residents of Kerelwa, where prolonged drought and poverty have remained persistent challenges, the initiative marked more than just a one-day event but also offered renewed hope for sustainable development driven by partnerships between government, communities and development partners.
By Parklea Ivor
