Sleeping on fortune: How Non-locals Exploit Turkana’s Wealth

                                     Quite an illustrative art (Source: Image creator)

My daily encounters in major towns in Turkana have always left me perplexed but with one unapologetic fact; that Turkana economy is at the hands of non-locals who identified the gaps years ago and came in to invest in Turkana. However, while moving from the dusty streets of Lodwar to the bustling trading hubs of Kakuma, I am occasionally struck by the thick contrast between the immense potential of the land and the stunted growth of its people. Turkana is vast, rich in resources, and strategically located, yet its people seem disconnected from the wealth that surrounds them. In these towns, economic activity thrives, but the people driving this success are mostly non-locals —individuals who came to Turkana, identified gaps, and built businesses. Meanwhile, the locals, the rightful stewards of this land, remain on the sidelines, their role limited to spectatorship. The scene that played out before me was a troubling reflection of a larger, systemic problem: The Turkana people are in slumber, and their leaders and/or elites have failed to guide them toward economic self-reliance.

 

Walking through the markets of Lodwar, I could see that the most successful businesses, from retail kiosks to notable hospitality facilities, were controlled by people from other regions. These non-locals have not only spotted the opportunities that the locals ignored, but they have also taken the initiative to invest, often reinvesting their profits into their home counties rather than in Turkana itself. This wealth, which should be empowering the local economy, is instead siphoned off to develop other regions of Kenya. The financial lifeblood of Turkana is being drained, and the people remain largely oblivious, seemingly content with this state of affairs. It is not that these non-locals should be pushed away or seen as a problem—in fact, their investment is crucial to the county’s development—but the Turkana must wake up and take their rightful place at the helm of their own economic destiny.

 

There is a pervasive sense of laxity among the Turkana people, a reluctance to step up and take control of the resources and opportunities that are right under their noses. This passivity is not entirely their fault, as historical marginalization and governmental neglect have left them without the infrastructure or exposing education needed to succeed in a modern economy. However, the time has come for the people of Turkana to recognize that they can no longer wait for external forces to bring development to them. There are abundant opportunities in livestock, mining, oil, fishing and even tourism, but the local population has been slow to seize these opportunities. Instead, they have allowed non-locals to dominate, filling the gaps and taking advantage of the region’s resources while the Turkana people stand by.

 

The failure of the elites within the Turkana community to lead by example has only exacerbated this issue. Many of these elites, who have received education and risen to positions of influence, should be using their knowledge and resources to empower their people. But instead, they have largely failed to mentor or inspire the local population. These elites, rather than investing in their own communities, have often aligned themselves with the same outsiders who are exploiting the region’s wealth. Their collusion has ensured that the wealth generated in Turkana does not benefit the Turkana people but instead flows out of the county, enriching others while Turkana remains trapped in poverty and underdevelopment. It is a betrayal of the people’s trust, a failure of leadership that has left the Turkana people without the guidance they need to break free from the cycle of dependency.

 

In Kakuma, I spoke with one business magnate who had moved to Turkana from Nairobi a decennium ago. He told me how he saw an opportunity in the growing town that no local had bothered to capitalize on. He started a small grocery store and, over time, expanded it into one of the largest in the area, serving not only the local population but also the refugee camps nearby. His story was not unique. Time and time again, I heard similar accounts of non-locals in Lodwar who had come to Turkana, identified a need, and built thriving businesses. These individuals saw what the locals either could not or would not see—the potential of Turkana. In contrast, the Turkana people themselves seemed caught in a state of inertia, continuing with their traditional ways of life, resistant to change, and seemingly unaware of the opportunities slipping through their fingers.

 

What is even more troubling is that the wealth generated by these outsiders is not being reinvested in Turkana. Instead, the profits from businesses in Lodwar, Kakuma, and other towns are funneled back to Nairobi, Nakuru, Meru or anywhere else where these non-locals came from. The economic benefits that should be building schools, hospitals, and infrastructure in Turkana are instead developing other regions, leaving Turkana impoverished. This outflow of wealth is not sustainable for the long-term growth of the county. As Chinua Achebe famously wrote, “The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership.” The same can be said of Turkana. The people have been failed by their leaders, who should be guiding them toward economic empowerment rather than allowing them to be exploited.

 

This is not to say that there is anything inherently wrong with non-locals coming to Turkana and investing. In fact, Turkana needs the capital, skills, and ideas that these individuals bring. However, what is sorely lacking is the participation of the local population in this economic boom. Nevertheless, the idea of reinvesting money acquired from Turkana to other regions is what I am completely against. The Turkana people should be partnering with these outsiders, learning from them, and eventually taking over the reins of these businesses. The current state of affairs, where the locals remain passive while non-locals control the economy, is unsustainable and will only deepen the poverty and underdevelopment of the region. The Turkana people need to wake up to the fact that they are sitting on immense wealth, and it is up to them to claim it.

 

The Turkana elites must bear the brunt of the blame for this state of affairs. They have failed to create a culture of entrepreneurship, innovation, and self-reliance among their people. Many of them, instead of returning to Turkana to invest and mentor the next generation, have moved to Nairobi or abroad, leaving the local population without the leadership it so desperately needs. As Frantz Fanon once wrote, “Every generation must out of relative obscurity discover its mission, fulfill it, or betray it.” The elites of Turkana have, by and large, betrayed their mission. They have not fulfilled their duty to their people by providing the mentorship, investment, and leadership needed to transform Turkana from a neglected frontier into a thriving economic hub.

 

As I moved through these towns, I could not help but feel a sense of frustration. There is so much potential in Turkana, yet it remains untapped because the people have not been empowered to take control of their own destiny. The Turkana people must understand that they cannot wait for outsiders to save them. They must begin to take control of their resources and their businesses, investing in their own communities and ensuring that the wealth generated in Turkana stays in Turkana. The elites must lead by example, returning to their home region to mentor the youth, invest in local businesses, and build the infrastructure needed to support economic growth.

 

The time for complacency is over. The Turkana people must awaken from their slumber and claim their space in the economic development of their region. They must stop allowing others to come in and take control of their resources while they stand by and watch. As Booker T. Washington once said, “At the bottom of education, at the bottom of politics, even at the bottom of religion, there must be for our race, as for all races, an economic foundation, economic prosperity.” The Turkana people must build this foundation, and it starts with taking control of their own economy.

 

In conclusion, Turkana is a land of immense potential, but its people have yet to seize the opportunities that lie before them. Non-locals have come in, identified gaps in the market, and taken full control of the economy while the Turkana people remain passive. The local elites, who should be leading the charge for economic empowerment, have failed to mentor their people or invest in their communities. The result is that Turkana’s wealth is being used to develop other regions while the county remains impoverished. It is time for the Turkana people to wake up, take control of their resources, and claim their rightful place in the economic development of their region. Turkana community would have been clueless, but it won’t be so for long. The future of Turkana depends on its economic power.