Abstract: The study examined the performance of livestock markets in arid areas, specificallyin Turkana, with an emphasis on competitiveness and determinants of market access withinlivestock production, marketing, and trade systems. The research study involved 168 livestocktraders selected from operational livestock markets in Turkana, specifically Kerio (TurkanaCentral Sub County), Lokiriama (Loima Sub County), and Kachoda (Turkana North SubCounty), with their performances also juxtaposed against other markets in arid regions ofKenya. The study results indicated that extreme competition is evident in the Turkana livestockmarketing system, considerably affecting livestock production and marketing activities. Thisleads to the non-functionality of some potential markets, diminishes the competitiveness ofseveral traders, and ultimately obstructs market access initiatives. Factors include inadequatelegislation, insufficient research, informal marketing systems, resource –based conflicts andinsecurity, restricted capital, market competition, exploitation of low-capital traders, andclimate change intensify these consequences. The study advocates for comprehensiveprogramming in livestock development in Turkana, emphasising stakeholder capacityenhancement, systems-oriented methodologies, knowledge and technology dissemination,legislative improvements, and the augmentation of competition and market access capabilities.This includes the transformation of Livestock Marketing Associations (LMAs) into LivestockMarketing Cooperatives (LMC) and the increase of capital resources for livestock businesses toenhance the competitiveness of local traders and diversify enterprises. These objectives areaccomplished when national and county livestock plans incorporate the production andmarketing potential of dryland regions.