Nearly a year after moving into new resettlement homes, residents of Napeitom village in Turkana East Sub-County are battling a fresh crisis, severe hunger. Food insecurity has replaced active banditry as the village’s most urgent threat, adding another painful chapter to a community that has been in the national spotlight since its initial resettlement following the 2007 election of Josphat Koli Nanok as Turkana South MP.
Napeitom, located in Kapedo-Napeitom Ward, has long endured near-annual raids blamed on armed attackers from neighboring Tiaty in Baringo County, across the volatile Turkana-Pokot border. The deadliest of these incidents occurred on the night of Sunday, August 1, 2022, when eight people were burned to death and a minor was abducted. The tragic attack was confirmed at the time by Area Chief Kaptan Ekiru, prompting immediate emergency response efforts led by Rukia Abubakar of the Kenya Red Cross Society.
In a bid to break this cycle of violence, Turkana Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai launched a permanent housing programme for Napeitom families on June 2, 2025. The homes were built within a fenced perimeter designed to provide safety and security.
However, within weeks, these gains began to unravel. Three bodaboda (motorcycle) riders were ambushed near the settlement, leaving two dead and one seriously injured. Residents now report that the perimeter fence has since collapsed, leaving the community as exposed to raids as before.
By June 2026, the security threat was eclipsed by a devastating food shortage. Alarming images and reports shared online depicted severely weakened residents, including an account of an elderly woman who reportedly collapsed from hunger though county and humanitarian officials have not yet independently verified that specific case.
In response to the escalating situation, the Suguta Professionals Association (SPA) a community-based network of professionals from the region mobilized personal contributions to deliver emergency relief. This grassroots intervention triggered a wider, coordinated government response.
A delegation including Roads, Transport, and Infrastructure CEC Member Benson Lokwang’Logiel, Kapedo-Napeitom MCA Willy Nalimo, Economic Planning Chief Officer Samwel Ekaale, Sub-County Administrator Dr. Benjamin Lomeyan, and SPA Secretary General Loreng Gerald successfully secured 200 bags of assorted foodstuffs from the county’s Ministry of Public Service and Disaster Management. The Kenya Red Cross, through Rukia Abubakar, also joined the distribution efforts.
Further government support followed, with the county’s Directorate of Disaster Management donating an additional 200 bags of maize, while the Directorate of Early Childhood Development provided 100 bags of porridge flour targeting young children.
To ensure the aid reaches those in need, the SPA, in collaboration with the MCA’s office, is currently funding fuel and allowances for the distribution lorries and the Sub-County Administrator’s vehicle, extending relief to Napeitom and the neighboring villages of Ngilukia, Kamuge, and Kakitei.
Non-state and political actors have also stepped in to cushion the community. Joshua Angelei Lonyaman, a lawyer and aspirant for the Turkana East parliamentary seat, delivered essential food supplies to vulnerable households last week. Additionally, the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) have periodically supported the area’s children with cooked meals and food supplies.
While welcoming the relief, Mr. Lonyaman emphasized that temporary food distribution is not a sustainable solution to the region’s deep-rooted challenges.
“We urge coordinated intervention to address the root causes of this hunger crisis,” Lonyaman said. “I also appeal to well-wishers, supporters, government agencies, and fellow aspirants within Turkana East to come together and support the affected families.”
As local initiatives continue to temporarily cushion the most affected households, the people of Napeitom are left waiting for a comprehensive strategy that delivers both long-term food security and lasting peace.
