President William Ruto during Madaraka Day celebrations in Wajir County.
By ABDULHAKIM SHERMAN
Residents of Wajir South have appealed to President William Ruto to address their plight during his visit to the North Eastern region, saying they have been neglected in the Government’s development agenda.
Led by the former chairman of the Wajir chapter of the National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI), Mr Abdulrahman Abdille, the residents said they were facing numerous challenges, in particular the 180 kilometre road link from Modogashe to Wajir town which was supposed to start in 2022 and lack of clean drinking water among other development projects that have not been implemented. They said these issues require urgent intervention from President Ruto.
“We are among the founding supporters of President Ruto in Wajir and the North Eastern region in general. We welcomed him wholeheartedly during his presidential campaigns in Wajir in 2022, but we have since been sidelined in favour of his critics,” Mr Abdille said.
The prominent Wajir businessman, who was one of the key speakers during President Ruto’s UDA Economic Forum in Wajir Town in 2022, said the President’s core network of grassroots supporters in Wajir, most of whom are from Wajir South constutuency, were sidelined during the Head of State’s visit to the area for the Madaraka Day celebrations.
“The President has completely forgotten the people of Wajir South, who overwhelmingly supported and voted for him in 2022. We are appealing to him to reconsider his position regarding the development agenda of Wajir South,” Mr Abdille said.
Mr Abdille further claimed that following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between ODM and UDA, which led to the formation of the broad-based government, former critics of the President who are members of ODM are receiving preferential treatment compared to loyal UDA supporters.
Mr Abdille strongly supported Wajir residents in recognising the country’s political direction and in pledging their support for President Ruto in 2027.
During his Madaraka Day address, President Ruto announced that the Government would invest KSh15 billion in Wajir County to build 18 modern markets, 2,000-bed student hostels and 4,600 affordable housing units. He said the initiatives would expand economic opportunities, improve living standards and create jobs for residents.
A section of Wajir residents who attended Madaraka Day celebrations. PHOTO/Presidency.
The President also laid the foundation stone for the 580-bed student hostels at Eldas Teachers Training College in Eldas Constituency, Wajir County. He commissioned the KSh460 million Eldas Water Supply Project and pledged an additional KSh900 million to further improve access to water for residents.
Later, he addressed residents of Eldas Town and urged parents across Northern Kenya to take full advantage of the Government’s investment in education by ensuring their children attend school.
President Ruto said enhanced security in Northern Kenya had created a safe environment for residents to engage in productive economic activities, laying the foundation for accelerated economic growth and investment.
“To unlock the region’s vast economic potential, the Government is constructing the 750-kilometre Horn of Africa Gateway Development Project from Isiolo to Mandera through Wajir at a cost of KSh100 billion,” he said.
He noted that the strategic corridor traverses Isiolo, Meru, Garissa, Wajir and Mandera counties, significantly improving connectivity within Northern Kenya while linking Kenya to neighbouring Ethiopia and Somalia.
“The project will ease the movement of people and goods, reduce transport costs, expand market access and boost cross-border trade, particularly in the livestock sector, which is a key economic pillar of the region,” he added.
The Head of State said that more than 11 contractors had been engaged across various sections of the corridor to ensure the project is completed within the stipulated timeframe.
He also inspected the progress of construction works on the 64-kilometre Tarbaj–Kotulo section of the Isiolo–Mandera Road in Tarbaj Constituency, Wajir County.
