Turkana County’s Resource Mobilisation, Partnerships and Donor Coordination (RMPDC) Directorate has convened coordinators and focal persons from county departments and partner organisations to strengthen how development partners are managed and aligned with county priorities.

The meeting aimed to ensure focal persons are properly mapped within their departments, improving accountability, information sharing, planning and resource allocation.

The Refugee Consortium of Kenya (RCK) supported the effort, helping focal persons understand their roles and avoid overlapping responsibilities.

Deputy Director Michael Aupe said the number of partners in the county had fallen from 117 to about 79, with 59 of them implementing WASH programmes.

“We have seen a reduction in the number of partners from 117 to about 79, where 59 are partners in the WASH programmes,” he said.

Aupe called for comprehensive stakeholder mapping, better information sharing and a joint Monitoring and Evaluation workplan to track partner interventions against county priorities.

Participants also discussed a new approach to partner entry meetings, with designated focal persons acting as the link between partners and county departments.

Director of Protocol Peter Lomauke clarified the roles of county and national government officials in such meetings. Director of Partnerships, Research and M&E James Lobokan stressed the need to track partner resources and avoid overlapping mandates.

Peterson Erus, Deputy Director for Coordination in the Office of the County Secretary, urged focal persons to give timely feedback on information received from donors.

Deputy Director of Youth Affairs Ekidor Namoe Linus proposed a conflict resolution framework for cases where partners operate without proper mapping and allocation.

NDMA’s Jacob Lotesiro said a coordination framework under development would define roles and stop partners overstepping departmental mandates.

RCK’s Sifuna Nabwire reaffirmed the consortium’s support, while Peninah Mokaya of the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office backed continued coordination forums and called for sustained collaboration across government and private-sector partners.

The meeting resolved that RMPDC will develop an organogram covering the 11 sector working groups, create data protection-compliant templates, map partners’ areas of operation and strengthen reporting on achievements.

A follow-up on partners’ areas of work and achievement indicators is expected next week.

Others present included Jackson Nakusa, Julius Ekal, Silvester Eoko, Damaris Opilo, Cornelius Lokorio, Gladys Arika, Philip Ebei, Godfrey Ikone, RMPDC officers Stela Ethekon, Wycliffe Lotieng, Nicholus Esekon and Samson Ekamais, and Bernd Seway of Danida.

By Peter Gitonga