The Constitution of Kenya 2010 recognizes that access to safe and sufficient water is abasic human right. It also assigns responsibility for water supply and sanitationprovision to the 47 County Governments. In order to effectively implement thiscommitment and other related water and sanitation related commitments in theConstitution, the County Water sector requires a sharp focus first, on ensuring asmoother collaboration between the two levels of government, and secondly,strengthening county leadership to achieve sustainable delivery of improved waterservices under this dispensation. The development of the first ever Turkana CountyWater ad Sewerage Services Policy is an important milestone in this direction.At this stage in the development of this policy, the County is cognizant of the fact thatTurkana County, like most of the Counties in the Arid and Semi Arid Areas of Kenyais a county endowed with extensive natural wealth and biodiversity. Yet, the Countypopulation still remains largely poor with limited access to and control of productiveresources, especially by women and young people. In the Water Sector, there has beena general decline in both the quantity and quality of water for productive and domesticuse. During drought, reduced water tables are common leading to low yieldingboreholes and longer waiting times at the few water points available. Other changesinclude the drying of surface water sources, high siltation and long trekking distances.Better water governance is therefore key to unlocking some of the long establishedbarriers to economic development of the County.Another key determinant of the content and direction of this County policy for thewater sector has been the need to develop a much more responsive policy frameworkthat is embedded in the culture and ways of life of the Turkana County. In so doing,this policy recognizes that pastoralism which is our culture and way of life, has thepotential to form part of the countys highly resilient livelihoods. Yet over the years,the capacities within these systems have been eroded by policy disconnects in the pastand continue to be overlooked as a vehicle for economic development. Addressingpastoralism is certainly a wider development challenge that straddles across multiplesectors for effective mainstreaming to happen. For the water sector however, we makean early recognition of this reality and integrate the key priorities and policy measuresnecessary to respond to this dynamic in the county.In developing this policy framework for the waters sector, we have set out abenchmark through which the County leadership will be measured. Our duty asstakeholders now is to meet the demands of these commitments for the benefit of thePeople of Turkana County.

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