West pokot: Residents across West Pokot County have called for increased investment in water, education, healthcare, roads and youth empowerment as the county government collects views to guide preparation of the 2027/2028 County Annual Development Plan (C-ADP). The residents made the proposals during public participation forums held across the county’s six sub-counties of Pokot Central, Pokot North, Pokot South, Kacheliba, Kipkomo and West Pokot, where communities identified and prioritised projects they want implemented in the next financial year.
According to Kenya News Agency, water emerged as one of the major priorities, with residents in the largely arid and semi-arid county calling for construction of dams, wells and other water infrastructure to address shortages affecting households, livestock and agricultural activities. Speaking during the forum at Mtelo Hall in Kapenguria, County Executive Committee Member for Agriculture Wilfred Long’uronyang urged residents to actively participate in the planning process and clearly articulate the challenges affecting their communities.
Long’uronyang stated that the views gathered would inform preparation of the FY 2027/2028 C-ADP and subsequently guide development planning, resource allocation and budgeting priorities in the county. Public participation is a constitutional requirement that enables citizens to influence decisions on development priorities and allocation of public resources. The process is anchored in the Constitution of Kenya, the County Governments Act and the Public Finance Management Act.
Residents welcomed the exercise, saying it gave communities an opportunity to identify projects that directly respond to their needs before county resources are allocated. Mark Lokoma, a resident of Mnagei Ward, acknowledged that not all proposals could be implemented but emphasized that priority needs should be considered when the county government prepares its development plan. He identified water as an urgent need, particularly because many parts of West Pokot experience recurrent drought.
Education was also highlighted as a key priority, with residents calling for construction and equipping of schools as well as deployment of adequate numbers of teachers. Youth representatives, meanwhile, called for greater allocation of resources to programmes targeting young people, citing unemployment, limited economic opportunities and inadequate support for innovation and skills development. Moses Kibet, a youth representative, stressed the importance of focusing on youth affairs in the county budget.
Residents across the various forums also raised concerns about roads, bridges, healthcare facilities, agriculture, markets, water infrastructure and other basic services. In drought-prone areas, participants placed particular emphasis on water projects, saying reliable supplies would support domestic needs, livestock production and agricultural activities. The forums were led by County Executive Committee Members and officials from various departments, who engaged residents and explained how their views would contribute to the county’s development planning process.
County Director of Planning and Budget Isaac Ritakou, who participated in ward-level group discussions at Mtelo Hall, emphasized the importance of residents’ contributions to effective planning. He noted that incorporating citizens’ priorities into development planning would help the county government identify projects that address the most pressing needs in different communities. The public participation process also provided an opportunity for county officials to explain government programmes and listen to challenges experienced by residents in accessing services.
The County Government has encouraged residents to continue participating in public forums and to follow announcements from local administrations regarding subsequent sub-county and village-level engagements. Residents may also use available county digital platforms and other designated channels to submit written feedback where applicable during subsequent stages of the planning process. The completion of the C-ADP public participation exercise marks an important step towards preparing West Pokot’s 2027/2028 development agenda. The views collected are expected to inform decisions on project prioritisation and allocation of county resources during the coming financial year. For residents, the exercise provided an opportunity not only to propose projects but also to influence the direction of development in their communities.
