Turkana County is a
county
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
in the former
Rift Valley Province
Rift Valley Province ( sw, Mkoa wa Bonde la Ufa) of Kenya, bordering Uganda, was one of Kenya's eight provinces, before the Kenyan general election, 2013.
Rift Valley Province was the largest and one of the most economically important provinces ...
of
Kenya
)
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. It is Kenya's largest county by land area (followed by
Marsabit County
Marsabit County is a county in Kenya. Covering a surface area of 66,923.1 square kilometres. Marsabit is the second largest county in Kenya. Its capital is Marsabit and its largest town Moyale. According to the 2019 census, the county has a po ...
), and also its northwesternmost. It is bordered by the countries of
Uganda
}), is a landlocked country in East Africa. The country is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the south by Tanzania. The sou ...
to the west;
South Sudan
South Sudan (; din, Paguot Thudän), officially the Republic of South Sudan ( din, Paankɔc Cuëny Thudän), is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia, Sudan, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Con ...
and
Ethiopia
Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the Er ...
, including the disputed
Ilemi Triangle, to the north and northeast; and
Lake Turkana
Lake Turkana (), formerly known as Lake Rudolf, is a lake in the Kenyan Rift Valley, in northern Kenya, with its far northern end crossing into Ethiopia. It is the world's largest permanent desert lake and the world's largest alkaline lake. B ...
to the east. To the south and east, neighbouring counties in Kenya are
West Pokot,
Baringo and
Samburu Counties
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
, while
Marsabit County
Marsabit County is a county in Kenya. Covering a surface area of 66,923.1 square kilometres. Marsabit is the second largest county in Kenya. Its capital is Marsabit and its largest town Moyale. According to the 2019 census, the county has a po ...
is on the opposite (i.e. eastern) shore of
Lake Turkana
Lake Turkana (), formerly known as Lake Rudolf, is a lake in the Kenyan Rift Valley, in northern Kenya, with its far northern end crossing into Ethiopia. It is the world's largest permanent desert lake and the world's largest alkaline lake. B ...
. Turkana's capital and largest town is
Lodwar. The county had a population of 926,976 at the 2019 census.
History
Four sites of Stone Age cultures are situated upon tributaries along the west side of
Lake Turkana
Lake Turkana (), formerly known as Lake Rudolf, is a lake in the Kenyan Rift Valley, in northern Kenya, with its far northern end crossing into Ethiopia. It is the world's largest permanent desert lake and the world's largest alkaline lake. B ...
in West Turkana; at Lokalalei, Kokiselei and Nadungu, and became of interest to archaeology beginning sometime during 1988.
The earliest late Stone age industries in prehistory were found in Turkana, at the site of Lomekwi, and date to 3,300,000 years. At the archaeological site of Nataruk, in Southwest Turkana, scientists have discovered the oldest evidence of inter-group conflict in the past, establishing that warfare occurred between groups of hunter-gatherers.
From 1900 until 1926, the
British colonial administration in Kenya gradually established control over the Turkana people.
By 1926, the Turkana people were fully under the control of the British colonial administration, who subsequently forcibly restricted their movements to the Turkana region.
During 1958, the district experienced an influx of a number of people classified as belonging to the Turkana people. These had been expelled from the Kenyan town of Isiolo, and forcibly relocated to the Turkana district by the colonial administration.
The district maintained an all but complete isolation until 1976 when road-blocks leading to the district were lifted by the Kenyan government.
In 2000, the people in the north of the county were reported as being harassed by marauding Ethiopians, and were consequently forced to relocate in southern areas.
Population
Language
Turkana is known in
the local language as ng'turkana. Some place names in the country are attributed to the language of the Pokot and Samburu peoples, representing a tradition in the area of inhabitation by these peoples prior to displacement by the Turkana.
Geography
The county is within the boundaries of the former Rift Valley province. According to data provided during 1991 the majority of the population at that time lived by way of farming. With an area of nearly 77,000 km
2, Turkana is the largest county, including the area covered by Lake Tukana, in Kenya.
Turkana County is emerging to be a major source of electric power in
Kenya
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.
Kengen
was a after ''Shōan'' and before '' Kagen.'' This period spanned the years from November 1302 through August 1303. The reigning emperor was .
Change of era
* 1302 : The new era name was created to mark an event or a number of events. The pre ...
's
Turkwel Hydro Power Plant, situated on the southwest of Turkana County, produces hydroelectric power which is connected to the national power grid at
Lessos. The county is current subject of crude oil exploration in
Block 10BB and
Block 13T and has potential for geothermal, solar and wind energy.
Kekarongole and Katilu had irrigation networks made commencing sometime during or after 1975.
Rainfall measurements per annum (1982 data) is recorded as less than ten inches; with a range of between 115mm and 650mm.
There were thirteen drought periods in a period of 50 years beginning 1938.
Economics
Turkana is the poorest region in
Kenya
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. The county is, however, experiencing upward reviews due to ongoing mineral explorations and inventions, especially of oil and water resources. Turkana County residents are also enjoying the fruits of devolution. Devolution of power in Kenya is viewed as a blessing for the forgotten people of Turkana. It has been received in the sub- counties with much appreciation due to its direct benefits to the citizens. The current administration shares out these benefits equally to all sub counties in addition to enhancing citizen participation in development activities
On 26 March 2012, Kenyan President
Mwai Kibaki
Emilio Stanley Mwai Kibaki (15 November 1931 – 21 April 2022) was a Kenyan politician who served as the third President of Kenya from December 2002 until April 2013 and is regarded as one of Kenya's founding fathers.
He had previously ser ...
announced that oil had been discovered in Turkana County after exploratory drilling by Anglo-Irish firm Tullow Oil, and he further stated that:
Gold panning
Gold panning, or simply ''panning'', is a form of placer mining and traditional mining that extracts gold from a placer deposit using a pan. The process is one of the simplest ways to extract gold, and is popular with geology enthusiasts espe ...
was reported (2005) as occurring at
Lochoremoit,
Namoruputh,
Lokiriama and
Ng, akoriyiek.
According to Barrett (2001) cited in ''Watson'' the wealth of a person is kept in the form of cattle.
Figures stated as of 1998 stated an average estimated herd size of 15–20.
In 2013 it was announced by
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
that large reserves of
groundwater had been discovered in Turkana County. The water was discovered using satellite exploration technology then confirmed by drilling.
The extraction of the water began in 2014 and it is being piped to provide water to Lodwar town for irrigation and water for the people.
Government
urkana County Government Website: http://www.turkana.go.ke/
Promulgation of the
Constitution of Kenya 2010 marked a momentous point in the country's history. The Constitution provided for, among others, enhanced checks and balances within the government, an enhanced role of Parliament and citizens, an independent judiciary, and a most progressive Bill of Rights
Turkana County is one of the 47
counties of Kenya. The county is led by H.E. Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai, and Turkana County has 10 Ministries
Travel
The county is connected to
Nairobi
Nairobi ( ) is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The name is derived from the Maasai phrase ''Enkare Nairobi'', which translates to "place of cool waters", a reference to the Nairobi River which flows through the city. The city proper ...
through regular commercial flights to
Lodwar airport. The
World Food Programme
The World Food Programme; it, Programma alimentare mondiale; es, Programa Mundial de Alimentos; ar, برنامج الأغذية العالمي, translit=barnamaj al'aghdhiat alealami; russian: Всемирная продовольствен� ...
runs a special
UN Humanitarian Air Service for UN and INGO staff.
County subdivisions
The county has six constituencies:
*
Loima Constituency
*
Turkana Central Constituency
*
Turkana East Constituency
*
Turkana North Constituency
*
Turkana South Constituency
*
Turkana West Constituency
The counties have six sub counties
Villages and settlements
*
Anglogitat
*
Angorangora
See also
*
Eliye Springs, a village located in Kalokol division
*
Kenyans for Kenya
*
Ilemi Triangle
References
External links
*http://www.aridland.go.ke/bulletins/June%202006-Turkana.pdf
*http://www.aridland.go.ke/districts.asp?DistrictID=1
Map of the district
{{Authority control
Counties of Kenya
Turkana people