LODWAR — Turkana County Deputy Governor Dr. John Erus has directed all development partners and civil society organizations (CSOs) operating in the region to formalize their operations through comprehensive Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with the county government.
Speaking during a bilateral meeting between the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) and the Action for Pastoralist Initiative and Relief (APIR), Dr. Erus emphasized that these frameworks must include built-in grievance and conflict-resolution mechanisms to prevent program disruptions.
Under the new directives issued through the Directorate of Partnerships and Resource Mobilisation, local CSOs executing projects on behalf of international partners must first sign an MoU with the Turkana Development Trust (TDT)—the county’s umbrella body for coordinating local civil society—before finalizing agreements with primary funding partners.
“Through the Directorate of Partnerships and Resource Mobilisation, we demand that all partners running projects with local CSOs do so within the framework of a comprehensive MoU with an in-built grievance and complaints handling mechanism,” Dr. Erus said.
He noted that previous friction between national and local implementing entities had triggered funding cuts and project suspensions, leaving vulnerable communities to bear the brunt of interrupted services.
The policy directive drew support from key aid actors present at the meeting.
ADRA Kenya Program Manager Peter Nguura commended the county government for establishing a structured mediation channel, noting that shifting donor expectations now mandate rigorous, transparent reporting from both primary partners and local sub-grantees.
APIR Chief Executive Officer Harrison Ekeno similarly backed using TDT as a neutral mediator, calling for absolute operational transparency between primary implementers and local grassroots partners.
The meeting was attended by senior county officials—including Deputy Director for Partnerships Mike Aupe alongside ADRA Country Director Nitin Pappachen and leadership from the Turkana CSOs network.
