Residents of Nasinyono in Turkana West Sub County have called on political leaders to urgently address persistent shortages of water, food and access to education, saying the hardships facing the community require immediate intervention.
Speaking during the Nasinyono Ten Groups Economic Empowerment event attended by Turkana Senator James Lomenen Lokomol-Nyarieng, residents urged leaders to visit the area and witness their living conditions firsthand instead of relying on representatives whom they accused of giving misleading reports.
“We want our leaders to come and see for themselves what we are going through, instead of sending agents who give them false information,” the residents said.
The community also thanked Senator Lomenen for visiting Nasinyono and listening directly to their concerns, expressing hope that the engagement would lead to tangible interventions in water access, education, food security and healthcare.
Responding to the concerns, Senator James Lomenen said the major challenge was not the arrival of relief food but how it was distributed across villages.
“The problem is not the arrival of food, but those responsible for distributing it.” Lomenen said.
The Senator said food and financial resources released for Turkana were meant for all residents and should not be distributed based on political affiliation or support for particular individuals.
“Our mission was clear: to empower and uplift the Nasinyeno Ten Groups to build self-reliance, boost small businesses and strengthen household economies. But beyond empowerment, I came to listen directly to your voices,” Lomenen said.
He said it was unacceptable for residents to continue facing shortages of clean water and food, as well as inadequate healthcare services, despite development resources being allocated to the county.
Lomenen also urged residents to demand accountability for public resources, particularly as the country heads towards the 2027 General Election.
“True leadership is measured by tangible projects and respectful service, not by empty rhetoric or cheap handouts that undermine the dignity of our people,” he said.
The Senator further praised Senate aspirants Fredrick Ejore and Sylvia Lapur for working together during the Nasinyono visit despite competing for the same political seat, describing their cooperation as an example of the leadership and unity Turkana needs.
He said his office would continue supporting economic empowerment initiatives while pushing for improved service delivery across Turkana County.
For Nasinyono residents, however, the immediate priority remains access to basic services, with the community calling on both county and national leaders to turn their concerns into concrete action.
Elsewhere,Turkana Central Member of Parliament Joseph Namuar has intensified his criticism against Turkana County Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai, accusing his administration of dividing county leaders and residents while failing to address pressing challenges facing the people of Turkana.
Speaking in Kerio Delta Ward during a fundraising event aimed at supporting and empowering the Ng’ikaskou community, Namuar accused the governor of creating divisions among leaders instead of bringing them together to address the county’s problems.
“Sometimes you are told not to speak to this person, other times you are told another person is bad. It is like a home with three wives where the husband talks to each one separately, leaving them caught in the middle. His only job is to divide people,” Namuar said.
The MP also questioned Lomorukai’s leadership, accusing the county government of failing to deliver effective services to residents.
Namuar singled out delayed salaries for county employees and what he described as worsening hunger in parts of Turkana, saying the situation had forced residents to rely increasingly on fundraising and political support.
“During our time, workers’ salaries used to come in on time. But now there are many fundraising events because the county has collapsed. Hunger is widespread,” he said.
He further claimed that some county employees were struggling to access basic assistance and had been forced to seek help through political leaders.
The remarks add a new dimension to an increasingly public dispute between Namuar and Lomorukai, which has in recent months shifted from personal political differences to competing claims over the performance and leadership of the county government.
In February 2026, Lomorukai claimed that he had helped Namuar secure the Turkana Central parliamentary seat in the 2022 General Election, despite their political differences.
“I helped Namuar become the MP for Turkana Central. Now he is going around insulting me. Let us meet in 2027,” Lomorukai said at the time.
The statement was widely seen as an indication of the growing political rivalry between the two leaders ahead of the 2027 elections.
Earlier this year, during a public baraza in Turkana Central, Namuar also accused Lomorukai’s administration of failing to deliver development and misusing public resources.
He claimed residents had seen little tangible development since 2022 and described the governor’s first term as a failure.
Namuar’s latest remarks, however, place greater emphasis on issues directly affecting residents, including delayed salaries, hunger and the performance of the county government.
The increasingly public exchange between the governor and the Turkana Central MP puts county leadership and service delivery at the centre of their political contest, with both leaders now facing growing public scrutiny over their records and claims ahead of the 2027 elections.
