Thursday, May 19, 2016
Mandera County officials on May 18, 2016 inspecting the venue of President Kenyatta’s Thursday meeting. The President and his deputy are on their first tour of the northern Kenya counties of Mandera, Garissa and Wajir since the Jubilee administration came to power in 2013. PHOTO | MANASE OTSIALO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
By LUCAS BARASA
President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto start a three-day visit of three North-Eastern counties Thursday.
A communication from State House indicated the Jubilee coalition leaders will tour Mandera, Wajir and Garissa.
They start their tour Thursday in Mandera with the inspection of the building of the Elwak-Wargudud Road in Mandera South at 10am.
Later, the President will break ground for the construction of the Wargudud Airport and the Rhamu-Mandera Road in Mandera North.
On Friday, the President and his delegation will be in Wajir County.
At 10am, he will commission the Wajir Kenya Medical Training College in the town, the local Huduma Centre in Wajir East and the upgrading of Wajir Hospital to Level Five status.
The President will later launch two key education programmes: Digital Literacy Programme and Water for Schools project at El Adow Primary in Wajir Town.
COMMISSION ROADS
In Garissa on Saturday, the Head of State will begin his tour by launching the building of the Nuno-Modogashe Road in Garissa Town/Barab Ara in Lagdera at 10am.
He will then commission building of Modika-Nuno Road at Fafi/Daadab/Bar Abara.
In Garissa Town, the Sankuri-Garissa Ndogo-Ngamia Road will be commissioned, while in Ijara, the President will inspect progress of the Masalani water Project.
Back in Garissa Town, President Kenyatta will inspect the construction works of the new hostel at the Garissa University College.
This will be President Kenyatta's first intensive tour of northern Kenya since his election in 2013.
The region overwhelmingly voted for the ruling coalition through the United Republican Party (URP) which is led by DP Ruto.
However, local leaders had accused the Kenyatta administration of neglecting the insecurity-prone northern frontier which still has poor infrastructure including roads and lags behind in development, more than 50 years after independence.
Wajir and Mandera, for instance, have only recently had the first tarmac roads thanks to devolution.
And as the 2017 elections approach, President Kenyatta and Mr Ruto are keen to fulfil their election pledges to consolidate their support.
Cord Leader Raila Odinga who enjoyed huge support in northern Kenya in 2007 is struggling to regain his footing in the area.