NORTHERN KENYA: A PEOPLE FORGOTTEN.

a lorry transporting people from moyale

The rule of fairness, justice  and equality in resource distribution and service delivery in Kenya is a reserve of those in “Kenya”, those of us relegated to the northern region have no right whatsoever to be included in the affairs and business of the nation of Kenya, have we chosen this? No!

The government in which we so much banked our hopes in our belief that it will level the playing ground and rules of the game has time and again been used by those Kenyans who think north eastern province is not part of Kenya to exclude this vast area of land and the people in it from benefitting from the resources of the nation of Kenya.

When the nation of Kenya was being developed, we were not on the receiving end, We started too late and had too many handicaps against us when the game began, the facts of Kenyan progress and development agenda and development blueprints precludes northern Kenya. The facts of disparity are clear.

North eastern and upper eastern regions covers a considerable part of the Kenyan state, but the size of benefit that this vast area enjoys is not at all proportional to its size, significance or the people residing here. This is the plight of the people of northern Kenya.

A people denied opportunity, the opportunity to realize their potential, economically, academically and in every other level. A few that have earlier had the opportunity have proven that the region can produce brilliant people that can greatly contribute to the nation of Kenya, People such as the late Dr. Bonaya Godana, Ahmed Nasser, Gen. Mohammed Ali, Ahmed Isack are just a few of the many very successful people in the kenyan academic and political front. They come from the northern region how many of such are still there, running with guns in the dry plains of Manderra, the desert that is chalbi, the Diid Galgallu plains. Yes, those are still areas in Kenya.

A people and a region forgotten, the transport sector in north eastern has only in the past few years seen some effort in its construction- this too not from the Kenyan government who are investing in regions where the land and the people are “economically viable” and will contribute to economic growth of the nation, is the government justified to forget its own people and cut them away from equal resource distribution because of claims such as “the region is not economically productive”? 

A region neglected, we are yet to hear of any prospects for a university to be built in this area and for a people who really need schooling and reeducation to adapt to a changing world. Other towns in Kenya have well stocked libraries run by GOK, but only one of such is found in the vast Marsabit county, which covers 13% of the landmass of kenya.

A people left, to self destruct in fits of traditional ethnic hatred, the government only acts concerned for fear that the western media might crucify them if they show indifference in a case where these community massacres the other over grazing land and water resources- they will normally retrieve to the recesses of their city offices. The local administration can not deliver and is as defunct as can be because of lack of resources to carry out their duties, in some places the office is a makeshift structure or a mobile one. Numerous NGOs operating within this region serve the locals better than the government is doing.

A people isolated from all national social programs and services leaving the locals to self destruct and socially degenerate to the most reducible of life’s condition. The unemployment rate is the highest in these regions and the people find solace in MIRAA, that has completely softened the power of initiative and self determination, no government effort has been directed to effectively campaign against the excessive usage of the same.

Help, when it comes from the government is like charity, akin a to coin tossed down to a beggar in the gutter from a safe height above the bowl and only after the problem being addressed has had an immense effect, some of these are problems that can be prevented if timely addressed.

Don’t you find it mind boggling when for example people die of lack of water or children fail to attend schools as they walk many distances in search of water  when actually a little effort from the government can ease this? The Chinese contractors working on the Torbi-Marsabit road are less than a year in the area but they have sunk four very functional boreholes for their road project, the 2.4 billion shilling Badassa dam was completely inappropriate since the government had not explored other cheaper options. We are getting into the devolved government with so many disparity and odds against us.

The earlier generation thought of ways to be recognized as a people with potential but since Kenya was not accepting them as its own they explored options such as secession and joining other states like Somalia and Ethiopia, one of this actions resulted to the Wagalla massacre and the shift wars, why would they ever dream of seceding if we are accorded equal rights, resources and opportunities as Kenyans?

The government can tap the resources that are found in this vast landmass, the wind power potential of northern Kenya is unmatched anywhere in Africa, for years now there have been talks about Lake Turkana and Bubissa wind power farm. Build an abattoir in the region and exploit the livestock potential of the area. Build more schools with adequate teachers and learning facilities, the area needs public libraries-set up at least one in every town, include the locals in national social programs and they will benefit immensely and be empowered, use the tourism potential of the region to benefit the locals, establish a reliable source of water, even if its piping it from distant water sources and once this is achieved introduce irrigation programs to increase food production, food aid is not a solution to the hunger problems frequently affecting the region.

Pardon them if you hear people from northern kenya and upper eastern say, “I am going to Kenya” when he/she travels to the bigger towns that enjoy the benefits of being Kenya. Question not when the people from these areas are socially misplaced in the big cities and towns or when they manifest the mannerisms of a people from another planet, for theirs is a plight of the deceived and neglected.