MPs demand development, end to marginalisation of North Eastern

Eldas MP Aden Keynan and other North Eastern leaders during a media briefing in Mombasa on October 13, 2024. [Robert Menza, Standard]

MPs from North Eastern have called for urgent action to address marginalisation of the region since independence.

Under the umbrella of North Eastern Parliamentary Group (NE-PG), the leaders from Garissa, Wajir and Mandera decried poor infrastructure, insecurity, education challenges, lack of basic services and economic underdevelopment following years of state neglect.

Speaking during a three-day retreat at Serena Beach Hotel in Mombasa on Sunday, the MPs demanded a review of resource allocation and increased share of national government revenue.

In a joint statement read by Fafi MP and secretary general of the caucus Salah Yabub, the leaders demanded a comprehensive analysis and audit of the 85 per cent national government shareable revenue to show the extent of resource allocation and ensure the region receives its fair share of national funding.

 “We shall institute mechanisms for continuous monitoring and evaluation of progress made in addressing the region’s challenges, ensuring transparency and accountability in the use of resources allocated for development,” they said.

Wajir South MP Mr Mohamed Adow noted that about 851,000 children in the three counties are out of school due to insufficient infrastructure such as boarding schools and insecurity.

“We are call for Section 95 (2) (e) of the Basic Education Act, 2013, to be anchored in the education framework that children in Wajir, Garissa and Mandera get equal opportunity to education,” he said.

Adow raised alarm over the state of education in the region, revealing that nearly a million a million children have no access to learning.

 “This is a ticking time bomb. The 2013 Basic Education Act provides for the right to basic education but our children are being left behind. As legislators, we are doing our part, but the government needs to act,” he said.

The MPs demanded that the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) hires all the unemployed teachers in North Eastern.

The MPs who included the caucus chairman Adan Keynan and patron Farah Maalim called on the government to remove the annuity programme from the Horn of Africa Gateway Development Project and engage other partners to finance the Modogashe-Samatar and Rhamu-Mandera roads among others.

They also asked the government to fast track the construction of Moyale-Wajir, Moyale-Mandera via Takaba, Garissa-Liboi and security roads in the region.

“The current administration is the most friendly ever to the people of North Eastern and pastoralists,” said Eldas MP Keynan.

 “However, we do not want to keep complaining about what has or has not been done. The question is, what is there for us in terms of development? He posed.

Maalim said government should resort to affirmative action to ensure North Eastern is at par with other regions.

"Even if it means stopping development of infrastructure in other region to focus on infrastructure in North Eastern region to ensure equity, so be it," he said.

The leaders resolved to develop a comprehensive master plan for the region that aligns with national development goals while addressing the unique challenges and opportunities for the three counties.

“The aim of this master plan is to come up with a sessional paper that shall guide and shape the national policy of North Eastern Kenya to realise our full potential,” they said.

Mandera East MP Mr Hussein Weytan claimed that for more than 60 years, North Eastern has been excluded from the national government agenda.

“We need an audit of the resources allocated to ensure North Eastern to ensure the region gets its rightful share,” said Weytan.

Mandera Woman Rep Ummulkheir Kassim, warned North Eastern residents against excessive consumption of miraa  saying it has ruined many particularly the youth.

“If our people continue the consumption of miraa and drugs, it will completely destroy families. This is especially ruining our young boys and girls who are in the productive age,” she said.

Yakub regretted that insecurity and violent extremism have severely hampered the region growth and said MPs and residents will work closely with security agencies to address the challenges.

“We do not want to be labeled as bandits, refugees or terrorists. Our identity as the Somali community has been confused by the authorities and this should be corrected,” Yakub said. 

The group called on TSC to strengthen adult education programmes and revive low-cost boarding schools.

The leaders also urged the government to invest in the livestock sector, which is critical to the region’s economy. They called for the immediate enactment of the Livestock Bill 2024, which would establish the Livestock and Livestock Products Marketing and Development Authority.

“The livestock sector is the backbone of our economy. We need better access to markets, increased budgetary allocations, and the establishment of a livestock research organisation,” they stated.

On the region’s perennial water shortages, the MPs demanded the construction of one mega dam in each county and medium-sized dams in every constituency.

“The lack of water is an ongoing crisis. In Garissa, we need dams upstream to solve the flooding problem in farmlands along the Tana River,” they said.

The group also called for the extension of the national electricity grid from Garissa to cover the entire region, emphasizing the potential of solar and wind energy given the region’s climatic conditions.