Wajir South MP Mohamed Adow has defended President William Ruto’s administration, saying the current government has made significant progress in addressing decades of marginalisation and underdevelopment in Northeastern Kenya.
A member of Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), Mr. Adow said the region is witnessing major investments in infrastructure, education and energy projects that previous administrations failed to deliver.
“For the first time, we’re seeing contractors on the ground building the road that we’ve been waiting for for more than 60 years. President Ruto has taken the brave step of making it a reality,” Adow said.
The legislator praised the government for removing what he termed as the “draconian vetting process” for identity cards and increasing investment in development projects across the region.
“There’s been progress, but it is still a work in progress. We are seeing more investments in energy, infrastructure and education. That, for me, is a wonderful start,” he added.
Adow contrasted the current administration with past regimes, accusing previous governments of neglecting the region and failing to address longstanding challenges facing residents.
He singled out former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration over what he described as failures in the education sector, particularly the transfer of non-local teachers from Northeastern due to insecurity concerns.
“It was deliberate, systematic and sustained, and it was meant to ensure that the people in that region do not get educated or do not get the quality education they deserve,” he claimed.
The MP said affirmative action teacher recruitment by the current administration has started easing teacher shortages in Wajir South and other parts of Northeastern Kenya.
He also lauded ongoing electricity connectivity projects in Wajir South, saying the constituency currently has projects worth approximately Sh2.3 billion either completed or ongoing.
“As we speak, we have almost Sh2.3 billion worth of projects either completed or ongoing in the constituency,” he said.
Adow further highlighted water and irrigation initiatives in the area, noting that more than 60 boreholes have been drilled in the last four years, helping address chronic water shortages.
“Life begins with water. Across Wajir South, those pockets of thirst are slowly being reversed,” he said.
The MP maintained that while the region has made notable progress, more work remains to fully integrate Northeastern into the country’s development agenda.
“We are on the right path and hopefully, very soon, the ‘Not Yet Kenyan’ tag will be a thing of the past,” he said.
