Leaders from Northern Kenya are optimistic that the region which has lagged behind in matters of development for decades will have its full potential unlocked under prescient William Ruto’s government.
The leaders included Defense CS Aden Duale, MPs Salah Yakub (Fafi) Dido Rasso (Saku), Hussein Weytan (Mandera East), Bashir Abdullahi (Mandera North), Mohamed Adow (Wajir South), Abdikadir Hussein (Lagdera), Yussuf Farah (Wajir west) and PS (EAC) Abdi Dubat.
They were speaking at a Garissa during a fund drive for Madarasa schools in Fafi constituency where a total of Sh27.8 million was raised.
Duale who is the senior most leader from the region said that in Ruto, they have a president who truly understands the area well and its challenges and was willing to have them sorted.
“For the first time, we have a president who is pastoralist like us, a president who shares and understands the challenges that we grapple with on a day-to-day basis. A president who has vested this region and seen firsthand the myriad of challenges that we have” said Duale.
He added: “Speaking first as a leader from this region and a CS in the government, I can tell you for a fact that by the time Ruto exists office this region will have been transformed in all sectors including security, livestock and agriculture, infrastructure as well as education.”
Duale was however quick to call on leaders and residents to unite in the war against terrorism saying that no meaningful development can be realized in an insecure environment.
MP Rasso who is the patron pastoralists Parliamentary Group (PPG) said that for the first time since independence, the pastoralist community feels part of the government of the day something he said had not been seen the previous governments.
“As pastoralists, we can confidently say that we are part and parcel of the government of the day. This is not mere talk, it is evident in the key appointments that President Ruto has made. He has handed our sons and daughters very powerful positions starting with CS Duale,” he said.
On his part, Yakub who was elected on a UDA ticket, thanked the president for his passionate drive to alleviate problems bedeviling the region saying that the recent meeting at State House which brought together all leaders from the region was a testament to the president’s commitment.
“We must all strive to improve the lives of our electorates and which other better way to do it than to work with the government of the day,” he said.
Yakub has previously urged President Ruto to appoint a special advisor for Northern Kenya.
He said the challenges facing the region need personal attention from the president given that they have lagged behind since independence.
“We have many issues in Northern Kenya that need to be tackled by the government,” he said.
