Impact of COVID-19 in Turkana: Oil host communities and local businesses

This study was conducted as part of the Enabling Good Governance in Kenya’s Oil Sector project, known locally as Utawala Bora Kwa Mafuta Bora.

This study was conducted in May 2021 when Kenya was experiencing the peak of the third wave of COVID-19 in Turkana East and Turkana South sub-counties. It found that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the oil host communities in Turkana South and East sub-counties.

International Alert recommends both short and long-term interventions to help mitigate against the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the short-term measures that can be undertaken include:

  • initiating public and community engagement to address the perception of unfair disarmament by the Government of Kenya targeting certain communities to voluntarily handover illegal arms during the COVID-19 curfew period; and
  • increasing sensitisation, training and information regarding COVID-19, especially to business people and their employees.