Turkana Business Owners Call for Urgent Tax Reforms
Lodwar, 1 October 2026
Faced with trade taxes over ten times higher than neighbouring regions, Turkana’s livestock and fisheries traders have petitioned local government for urgent policy reforms to protect their livelihoods.
The Heavy Tax Burden on Livestock Value Chains
The economic viability of Turkana County’s livestock trade is facing severe strain due to local tax levies that far exceed those of neighbouring regions [2]. Hides and skins value chain traders from Lodwar and Kakuma—a region that hosts a significant population of refugees who rely heavily on shared economic activities with the host community [2][GPT]—have petitioned the Turkana County Assembly to review these unsustainable costs [2]. Currently, Turkana levies a cess of Sh100 per piece of hide or skin, which accumulates to Sh20,000 for a single 10-tonne lorry [2]. In stark contrast, West Pokot charges just Sh1,500 per lorry, while Baringo charges Sh2,000 [2]. This creates a stark regional disparity of 18500 shillings per lorry load between Turkana and West Pokot, severely disadvantaging local traders [2].
Revenue Shortfalls and the Push for Policy Harmonisation
During the 2025/2026 financial year, Turkana County collected Sh2 million from the hides and skins cess, contributing to a total of Sh15 million collected from slaughter fees and hides and skins combined [2]. This fell short of the county’s Sh16 million target by 1 million shillings [2]. To protect the livestock sector, which Chief Officer for Livestock Development Peter Ikaru described as the backbone of Turkana pastoralists, traders are lobbying for the harmonisation of cess fees, licences, and transport permits within the upcoming Finance Bill 2026/2027 [2]. Peace Winds Japan, represented by Project Officer Fred Nathan, has actively supported these stakeholders in engaging the Assembly Committee to review and amend the current taxation regime to protect livelihoods [2].
Unlocking the Under-Utilised Fisheries of Lake Turkana
Parallel to the livestock sector, Turkana’s fisheries are also undergoing intense scrutiny. On 29 September 2026, Deputy Governor Dr John Erus reported that the county is losing millions of shillings in own-source revenue due to the under-utilisation of Lake Turkana [1]. Despite scientific studies since the early 1990s validating the massive quality and quantity of fish in the lake, current interventions have failed to unlock its full potential [1]. Speaking at a Lodwar stakeholder forum supported by the World Food Programme (WFP), Dr Erus emphasised the need to empower Beach Management Units (BMUs), register fishing vessels, and introduce dedicated fish value chain courses at Kalokol and Kataboi Vocational Training Centres (VTCs) to build local capacity [1].
Socio-Economic Safeguards and Infrastructure Plans
As the county looks to increase revenue, local authorities are also addressing social vulnerabilities linked to the trade. On 29 September 2026, Deputy County Commissioner for Turkana Central, Joseph Kipkorir, ordered local chiefs and village elders to intervene against child labour in the fishing sector to ensure children attend school rather than participating in commercial fishing [1]. To support long-term growth, the county and national governments plan to construct modern fish markets and establish a transport system featuring a ferry and connection lines to Marsabit [1]. Meanwhile, the Department of Veterinary Services is working to revamp the Turkana Tannery at Naurenpuu, Nadapal, to promote local agro-processing and value addition [2].