Turkana County's Swoosh

A prototype of Proposed Turkana Resort City

 PICTURETHIS. An investor figures that wind, an abundant resource in an arid, windswept area can be tapped to generate 300MW of power. Then an oil explorer goes to the same difficult area tom prospect for oil. Both "adventurers” probably carry water in their back packs for it is a rare commodity in the land. 

Oil is also discovered in the same God forsaken area. Before long, another adventurer discovers that the area holds billions of liters of fresh water in its bowels. This is the story of Turkana country in the arid northern Kenya.

 In less than a decade, Turkana has been tr5ansformed from a low potential to a high potential economic zone. Words fail me. But the transformation can only be described as Swoosh! Well OK let's call it Turkana Swoosh!

Tourist attractions around Lake Turkana

Turkana was such an outback of the Kenya that  a feasibility study on the Railway Line linking South Sudan with Kenya, rated the EIRR  the section along Turkana as Zero. The study justified investment in the Rail on this section owing to the potential elsewhere.

In fact, the study recommended the development of a resort city in the region in order to create jobs for the local population. In 2004/5 the only viable economic resource in this area was Tourism along Lake Turkana.

The Lake Turkana resort city will be located at Eliye springs, on the shores of Lake Turkana. Lake Turkana hosts three National parks namely: Sibiloi, Central Island and Southern island national parks. That is why a resort city was recommended.

The Choice of Loiyangalani, on the South east of Lake Turkana as the site of Africa’s largest wind power farm began to change the perception of Turkana country. Then Last year Oil was discovered. Within a swoosh, its commercial viability was confirmed and within a swoosh the quantity estimates rose from 2500 barrels per well to a total of over 300 million barrels in just about a year. And they are still counting.

And now some 200 billion cubic meters of water, enough to serve Kenyans for 70 years, has been discovered. So Turkana is now becoming famous for mega finds which have catapulted it to the king pin of Kenya’s economic growth.

Initially, Lapsset, it was estimated would contribute 3 per cent to Kenya's GDP growth. That was before oil was discovered In Turkana County. Rumour is circulating that oil would add another 2.5 per cent to Kenya's GDP. That was before water was discovered in Turkana.  Turkana, famous for mega projects, could soon displace Nairobi as a mega country-the richest in the country.

That is a mouthwatering prospect. Kenya is excited. Some ambitious people, hoping to become oil sheikhs, I hear, are considering ditching Kenyan cities for Turkana. I hear some are considering trading their posh SUVs for the Carmel.

Want free advice? Turkana is a high potential area. Soon millions will be minted there. All projects, proposed in the LAPSSET corridor are now high return projects. It is not clear yet what are the estimates for Turkana resort city located at Eliye springs, on the shores of Lake Turkana, will cost more or less the same amount developed on the same terms as Isiolo city. Lake Turkana hosts three National parks namely: Sibiloi, Central Island and Southern island national parks. Loiyangalani the site of Africa’s largest wind power farm is located within to the South east of Lake Turkana.

So jump into any that suits your fancy. Build homes, Hotels, Roads, Railway lines. Even airports will soon be viable ventures.

Pack your bags now! Tomorrow may be too late.