Local news – 27.3.11 - By Mary Tioko - U.S Ambassador to Kenya Michael Rannerberger visits Radio Akicha

U.S Ambassador to Kenya Michael Ranneberger today visits Radio Akicha. The US Ambassador explained to the listeners of Radio Akicha live findings of his tour in the County and the united states Government Assistance in Turkana County as a reason why he came all the way to Turkana county to launch the United States African Foundation Turkana Food security Program .
Michael Ranneberger also said that this marks the beginning of the African Development activities in Kenya. He also said that they opted to come to Turkana because it is the among Marginalized areas in Kenya that has been neglected by the government of Kenya for along time.
Highlighting on the development of the County, Ranneberger challenged the political leaders in the area to play their part in advocating for the developments of the County at higher levels. The Ambassador commented on the state of the poor infrastructure in the county including the poor state of the Kitale -Lodwar Highway. He challenged the young people to elect focused and transparent leaders come 2012, who have the needs of the Turkana people in their hearts. He informed the listeners to be having a list of what the leaders had promised them to do in their campaigns and analyse whether they did all that and also analyse the new aspiring politicians and rate them according to their performances.
Michael Ranneberger emphasized on the essence of groupings and encouraged all the youth to form groups and channel their activities through the National youth Forum.

LOCAL NEWS – 26.03.2011 - By Zacheaus Otaba - The New dawn to the Turkana people

Turkana county is one of the counties which more than 75% of its residents languish in poverty. From time immemorial this region has not experienced the so called economical projects until today.
The government of the united states through the United States African Development Foundation (USADF) has unlocked the dream of the people of Turkana. The US government has donated more than 860M shillings to facilitate Turkana Food Security Programme. Launching the programme officially today at Moi gardens, the US ambassador to Kenya Michael Ranneberger said that the project will totally be independent, lest politicians interfere with it for them to acquire positions in the 2012 elections.
Ranneberger said that this is a new dawn to the people of Turkana and they have to decide on how this project should be run. He added that the project has come as a fulfillment of the previous research that he did in the region.
The ambassador was accompanied by the USADF chair person Jack Leslie and foundation's president Lloyd Pierson. They were welcomed by the area member of parliament Hon. Ekwee Ethuro and the MP for Turkana South Hon. Josephat Nanok.
The ambassador's convoy moved to Napeikar to access the irrigation scheme, that is one of the irrigation schemes along River Turkwel to determine its potentiality.