West Pokot to introduce boat racing at Turkwel dam

West Pokot county plans to introduce boat racing in  Turkwel dam to attract tourists and generate revenue. 

Governor John Lonyangapuo said boat racing will also create jobs for youths in the area who have abandoned cattle rustling.

Lonyangapuo said an annual event will be held to help market the region and invite tourists to have an experience of Pokot culture.  

He said the dam has been underutilised yet it is the biggest man-made lake in the North Rift region.

The governor called on investors to come and invest in the region because security has been strengthened and the county enjoys calm.

“For the past two years, no case of cattle rustling and insecurity has been reported in this region and I call upon investors to come and help in opening this region up,” he said.

The county boss said his administration will partner with North Pokot subcounty and set up resorts along the dam.

“We call upon serious investors to come and help us in setting up resorts along the dam that will accommodate tourists who will be visiting the region,” he said.

Locals say the dam has enabled them to earn a living through transportation of local tourists who flock the area.

Joel Lokomol, a boat rider, said the dam has been a blessing to them. He has moved from paddling a canoe to buying a motorboat, earning him more money. 

Lokomol said improved security in the region has led to an increase in the number of people visiting the dam. 

“We take them around the dam and they pay a small fee,” he said.

 Lokomol said that several youths who were engaging in cattle rustling have stopped the practice. 

He said on a weekly basis, over 1,000 visitors from learning institutions and on private tours arrive at the dam.

The boat ride gives one a panoramic view of the Nasolot hills among several others.

Along the Turkwel gorge also lies the Nasolot Game Reserve that hosts some of the biggest black elephants in the world.