Nairobi:The Resource Mobilisation, Partnerships and Donor Coordination (RMPDC) Directorate of Turkana County has initiated efforts to improve the management and alignment of development partners with county priorities by convening coordinators and focal persons from various county departments and partner organizations.
According to Kenya News Agency, the meeting aimed to map focal persons within their departments effectively, enhancing accountability, information sharing, planning, and resource allocation. This initiative, supported by the Refugee Consortium of Kenya (RCK), seeks to clarify the roles of focal persons and prevent overlapping responsibilities.
Deputy Director Michael Aupe highlighted a decrease in the number of partners from 117 to about 79, with 59 focusing on Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) programs. He emphasized the need for comprehensive stakeholder mapping, improved information sharing, and a joint Monitoring and Evaluation workplan to align partner interventions with county objectives.
Participants also explored a new strategy for partner entry meetings, designating focal persons to act as intermediaries between partners and county departments. The roles of county and national government officials in these meetings were clarified by Director of Protocol Peter Lomauke. Director of Partnerships, Research and Monitoring and Evaluation James Lobokan stressed the importance of tracking partner resources to prevent overlapping mandates.
Peterson Erus, Deputy Director for Coordination in the Office of the County Secretary, encouraged timely feedback from focal persons on donor information. Deputy Director of Youth Affairs Ekidor Namoe Linus proposed a conflict resolution framework for partners operating without proper mapping and allocation.
Jacob Lotesiro from the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) mentioned a developing coordination framework to define roles and prevent partners from overstepping departmental boundaries. RCK’s Sifuna Nabwire and Peninah Mokaya from the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office supported continued coordination forums and emphasized sustained collaboration among government and private-sector partners.
The meeting concluded with a resolution for RMPDC to develop an organogram for the 11 sector working groups, create templates compliant with data protection, map partners’ operational areas, and enhance reporting on accomplishments. A follow-up on partners’ areas of work and achievement indicators is scheduled for next week.
The meeting was attended by various stakeholders, including Jackson Nakusa, Julius Ekal, Silvester Eoko, Damaris Opilo, Cornelius Lokorio, Gladys Arika, Philip Ebei, Godfrey Ikone, RMPDC officers Stela Ethekon, Wycliffe Lotieng, Nicholus Esekon, Samson Ekamais, and Bernd Seway of Danida.
