Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has said the government has prioritised faster development of Northern and North-Eastern Kenya through targeted projects worth billions of shillings being implemented together with partners. 

The Deputy President on Monday said the Ksh.300 billion worth projects under the North and North Eastern Development Initiative (NEDI) are meant to catalyse the socio-economic transformation of the vast region. 

He said the Government is working with the World Bank and other development partners to actualise the projects which are in different levels of implementation. 

“The opening up of Northern and North-Eastern Kenya is a priority for our administration because the area admittedly has lagged behind for a long time. We thank our partners, specifically the World Bank, for the capital injection to open up this part of Kenya with huge potential,” said Gachagua. 

He spoke when he chaired the NEDI high-level consultative meeting in Karen, Nairobi.

Counties that have benefitted from the NEDI programme include West Pokot, Turkana, Samburu, Isiolo, Marsabit, Tana River, Lamu, Garissa, Wajir, and Mandera.

“The high-impact projects in the Transport, Agriculture, Water, Health, Education, Energy Sectors, Social Protection and others are geared at igniting, stimulating and sustaining the socio-economic transformation in the counties,” said the DP. 

Some of the NEDI projects are the Horn of Africa Gateway Project (HoAGP) – 740km from Isiolo through Wajir to Mandera which is ready for commencement, the Isiolo Export Abattoir, rehabilitation of Wajir Livestock Training Institute and the Horn of Africa Ground Water for Resilience Project (HOAGWRP) targeting construction of 400 boreholes to benefit residents in the region among others. 

The Deputy President said the region is fertile and could secure the nation’s food situation if its potential is properly tapped. 

“Countries in the Middle East with the same climatic environment have been transformed into bastions of food production. We look ahead to a day where food security of this country will be supported by the vast lands in Northern and North Eastern Kenya. Opening up that area in terms of road infrastructure, water, energy, roads, education is a step in the right direction,” the DP observed.

With the region at risk of dire effects of climate change, Gachagua said the NEDI programme entails resilient measures against the phenomenon. 

“As we battle the impact of climate change, resilient measures are necessary so we are not dealing with emerging issues year after year,” he said. 

For effective implementation and to fully benefit intended communities, the Deputy President said leaders from the region will be fully involved and the projects properly profiled.

“We shall inform and involve elected leaders fully. Involvement of elected leaders is critical so that we walk together and we are able to establish a mechanism for feedback which can be used by the elected leaders,” the DP said. 

The Deputy President also challenged leaders to take keen interest in the development initiatives in their areas saying their input is important in ensuring they are beneficial to the people.