As gubernatorial candidates and other political aspirants jostle for power in northeastern, it’s important to note that the region has not witnessed any meaningful development since the advent of devolution despite reports on how the national government has disbursed money to counties since devolution began in 2013 showing previously marginalized counties have gained the most.
Mandera, Wajir and Garissa - some of the the biggest beneficiaries in relative terms - have received close to a combined Sh250 billion over the last nine or so years. This region previously bore the brunt of the centralized system that had been in place from independence in 1963 to 2013, when devolved units were formed.
So why is the region still lagging behind? It’s therefore safe to say Mandera, Wajir and Garissa have been marginalized by their governors and the privileged few that fly almost every day between Nairobi and NEP powered by devolved corruption.
A recent governance poll focusing on the 47 governors' development and approval ratings ranked Wajir Governor Mohamed Abdi as the worst performing governor. Likewise both Mandera and Garissa governors were in the bottom ten of the list. Yet Ai Bunow and Ambassador Mohamed Abdi are seeking reelection while Mandera’s Roba wants to ‘downgrade’ to a Senator so as to ‘protect’ his legacy of misgovernance.
In every election year, it’s the norm in NEP for low budget sultans, donning cheap Kanzus, and clan power brokers to position themselves to catch some of the campaign funds - money mostly looted from public coffers- that are spent oiling the wheels of patronage as politicians exchange briefcases of shillings for clan votes and allegiances. The so called Sultans mortgage their clansmen for few pennies at the expense of five years’ development plan. Campaign politics is an industry all by itself in Northern Kenya. The amounts being spent are eye-popping, and enough to sustain a huge array of influence peddlers and political jobbers.
There is financial wastage and runaway graft in Mandera, Wajir and Garissa and the Auditor General has severally flagged down these three counties for Irregular procurement, questionable pending bills and stalled projects. Roba and his fellow governors from NEP also appeared before the Senate’s county public accounts and investments committee over damning financial audit reports and key queries on theft of public money.
As we head to the August elections, the people of these three counties need to put clan emotions aside and elect responsible leaders for sake of their own development and the future of their children. NEP can’t afford another decade of plundering.
