Northern Kenya leaders fail to honour Gachagua meeting invite

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. [File, Standard]

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua yesterday registered his disappointment with elected leaders from Arid and Semi-Arid Land counties who snubbed his meeting to discuss projects being implemented in the region.

Gachagua took a swipe at the leaders from 10 North and North East Development Initiative (NEDI) counties expected to participate in the consultative forum to evaluate progress and review performance of development projects in the region.

The government is working with World Bank to implement projects under NEDI worth Sh300 billion in West Pokot, Turkana, Samburu, Isiolo, Marsabit, Tana River, Lamu, Garissa, Wajir and Mandera.

Among the leaders who attended the meeting were drawn from Isiolo, West Pokot, Turkana and Samburu counties, which also saw development partners and Cabinet Secretaries Julius Ogamba (Education), Alice Wahome (Lands), Eric Mugaa (Water) and principal secretaries participate.

“Where are the rest of the counties? They should have been here so that when issues that concern their people are being discussed they can be part and parcel of the matters, like now Isiolo has raised pertinent issues; if they were not here there would be nobody to raise their issues,” Gachagua uttered.

He said invitations were made to all leaders in the counties but regretted that only a few turned up, despite the major challenges on the ground and the meeting provided an opportunity to seek solutions.

‘‘When you see them, ask them where they were when serious issues to do with their people were being discussed. These are projects that change livelihoods,” Gachagua said.

He said the meeting was also meant to review status of State investments and get inclusive insights to ensure no one is left behind. This, he explained, is part of consolidating the development plans of the national government and counties against the backdrop of the belief that the north and northeastern counties have been left behind far too long.

“There are challenges on the ground, the leaders should have been here to ask for solutions,” the DP stated. He said that leaders should take a central role in embracing projects that mean well for their people noting that five years that the projects have been underway is a long time and there is need for review.

Leaders from Isiolo and Turkana counties raised concerns of compensation for those displaced by the projects. The DP said the government is putting in resources in the 10 counties to sustain socio-economic projects.

Over the last two years, he said his office has been coordinating emergency responses to drought and El Nino rains causing immense suffering and large-scale humanitarian crisis, noting it is unsustainable to mobilise resources for relief food, water supplies and cash handouts, season after season.

“Such interventions are ad hoc and short-lived. With climate change, the cycle of asking for help is likely to persist unless we make and implement resilient decisions through strong partnerships,’’ he said.