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Citizen Weekly

Sunday 19 April 2015

INSIDE WAJIR COUNTY POLITICS

 Clannism behind Wajir political feuds

Clannism is the cause of the current political wars in Wajir county. As a result, Governor Ahmed Abdulahi is a marked man.
Analysts say those who are fighting the governor are merely engaged in clan wars while they close their eyes to addressing real issues affecting residents of Wajir.
Residents have cautioned some busy bodies posing as businessman for engaging in activities that are aimed at sabotaging the governor. Also in the list of marked men are conmen posing as leaders of briefcase lobby groups pretending to be watching over the executive.
The lobby group, according to investigations, is a briefcase and a one-man-show outfit which only exists on paper and whose activities have never been felt on the ground. Sources say its owners only use it to solicit for funds through extortion and intimidation.
There are those who now say that the conmen must stop their dirty tricks or their wayward ways and past will be exposed. On his part, Abdullahi is said to have kept a studious silence and has concentrated on service delivery. Abdullahi’s trouble with his political foes is that of being an independent-minded leader with a knack for consensus building, it is being claimed. Further, the governor’s supporters believe he is a talented manager with over 15 years experience in financial management as an auditor with the respected Deloitte & Touche, Business Adviser  at Barclays Bank and more recently, finance director at Hass Petroleum, whose credentials can not be matched by his opponents. 
His supporters say he has distinguished himself as a brilliant mind, a strong advocate for devolution as the right prescription that will reverse years of marginalisation of the county.
The county’s development agenda has special interest in women, youth and children and addressing the root cause of food security, poverty, illiteracy, infrastructure while strengthening peace and cohesion.
Contrary to speculations and accusations that Abdullahi has not delivered on pledges he made during the 2013 campaigns, Wajir is one of the best managed counties according to a recent report by the World Bank.
According to the report, Wajir county governor has been cited as the best among the 47 county governors in terms of public funds management and leadership acumen. In the report titled: “Decision Time: Spend More or Spend Smart”, the World Bank commended the governor for his prudent use of county cash.
The report reveals that Abdullahi’s administration has set up 36 new boreholes drilled at a cost of Sh8 million each. The boreholes were drilled in 56 locations, built 18 pans and eight mega dams for harvesting rain water. On education, the county government had recruited 320 Early Childhood Education teachers and constructed 62 ECD classes across the county each at a cost of Sh600,000 and a further  six model ECD schools constructed in each subcounty.
The county government has also constructed 14 fresh produce markets at a cost of Sh6 million each, refurbished Wajir livestock market, and constructed Soko Mjinga II market, erection of six floodlights in Wajir town and installation of solar street lights along one kilometre of the main roads in all sub-county headquarters at a cost of Sh39 million.
More health workers have been recruited and the county operationalised the district and subdistrict hospitals in Wajir town which now work on a 24-hour economy. New facilities have been opened which were previously closed for lack of staff and equipment.
Already, 31 maternity wings have been opened, 14 dispensaries, 14 markets, eight social halls, 14 ECD modern schools, six irrigation schemes and street lighting in all the subcounties headquarters.

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