The opening of northern Kenya to the world
There is an important editorial in the DN today about ‘opening up the north’. I think this should be a laudable plan and I pray it gets implemented. A new port in Lamu that is intended to serve landlocked Ethiopia and the necessary highway to link the two seems to be in the pipeline. There is no doubt that the northern part of Kenya will greatly benefit from this, North-Easter Province (NEP) in particular.
I think NEP, together with other districts in northern Kenya, have suffered for too long. NEP currently happens to be the only province in Kenya that doesn’t have tarmacked roads. The tarred road from Nairobi ends at Garissa, which is aptly nicknamed ‘mwisho wa lami’ (the end of the tarmac). And Garissa is actually the nearest town in the province to Nairobi. This effectively cuts communication between ‘down Kenya’ and the rest of the residents in NEP.
Indeed, the town which also hosts the Provincial Commissioner (PC) of NEP straddles to Coast Province. In fact, the PC’s office, residence and almost all the other important offices in the provincial headquarters are located in a territory that is essentially in Coast. Why this remains so is something that I might never get to understand, and especially when it’s a fact that the secessionists groups laid down their weapons many decades ago.
Kenyan Somalis no longer aspire to have theirs amalgamated with Somalia or even go the Eritrean way (their secession from Ethiopia). Rather they not only wish to be fully integrated into mainstream Kenya but also desire to show for it – the goodies that come with being a citizen of a fully functioning state. And the only way they can show for it is to have the necessary infrastructure, social amenities and anything else that will propel the region to economic prosperity, and unshackling them from the poverty and misery that theirs is synonymous with.
Being out of the country, I am not sure which path the ‘opening up’ will take but I believe NEP will benefit from this strategic plan. NEP, just like upper Eastern and a part of Rift Valley, share a border with Ethiopia. Though the intent of ‘opening up the north’ is not meant for the largely marginalised community, the same will, however, have a multiplier effect on the regional economy.
It needs to be noted that currently, Nairobi and other towns in ‘down country’ profit at NEP’s expense. Most of those beleaguered Kenya Somali businessmen found in many parts of ‘down Kenya’ were in most likelihood running away from the lack of amenities in their remote region. Of course with no proper communication networks the cost of business goes up. This ordinarily forces astute business people to seek other ways of overcoming such obstacles. Sadly, the only sure way of avoiding such hardships, for non state actors, is to relocate to where you can easily access all the necessary amenities for your business to expand.
In addition, some of my friends in college who came from Mandera, the farthest town in the province, rarely went back to their hometown while we were in college in Nairobi. Theirs was indeed understandable. I know it would also have been difficult for me to travel such a long distance and importantly on very pathetic roads. Ironically, it is much easier and cheaper for one to travel by bus from Nairobi to Kampala or Dar es Salaam than take the long haul to Mandera, yet the same is in Kenya. I know we still have a lot to show for our Kenyaness.
Also, the leg between Isiolo and Moyale happens to be one of few unpaved sections of the Trans-African Highway that connects Cairo to Cape Town. The evil Moi, for some devilish reasons, decided to disregard this section. Incidentally, Ethiopia and Sudan which are deemed much poorer have both longer stretches paved than Kenya - the richer southern neighbour. This is despite that fact that the African Development Bank had paid for this particular ‘corridor’. I understand Kibaki, immediately after being sworn in 2003, started some work on this important road. I can’t however, confirm what has been achieved to that end so far.
Unless the policy makers decided to take the Lamu - Tana River – Isiolo – Moyale – Addis Ababa route, NEP will in most likelihood benefit from this important venture. Even in the event that NEP is disregarded for the route above, these districts, too, deserve such a crucial infrastructure. However, I think the shortest route would be from Lamu through Ijara, Garissa, and Wajir, to the border town of Moyale. Supposing that the link would not go through NEP, then the onus then would be on the leaders from this part of the world to agitate for their rights in getting a highway of their own. After all, even the people in NEP pay taxes. They also need, collectively with other leaders from the northern parts of Kenya, to fight for better roads and other infrastructure that properly connects these arid areas to ‘down Kenya’.
I think NEP, together with other districts in northern Kenya, have suffered for too long. NEP currently happens to be the only province in Kenya that doesn’t have tarmacked roads. The tarred road from Nairobi ends at Garissa, which is aptly nicknamed ‘mwisho wa lami’ (the end of the tarmac). And Garissa is actually the nearest town in the province to Nairobi. This effectively cuts communication between ‘down Kenya’ and the rest of the residents in NEP.
Indeed, the town which also hosts the Provincial Commissioner (PC) of NEP straddles to Coast Province. In fact, the PC’s office, residence and almost all the other important offices in the provincial headquarters are located in a territory that is essentially in Coast. Why this remains so is something that I might never get to understand, and especially when it’s a fact that the secessionists groups laid down their weapons many decades ago.
Kenyan Somalis no longer aspire to have theirs amalgamated with Somalia or even go the Eritrean way (their secession from Ethiopia). Rather they not only wish to be fully integrated into mainstream Kenya but also desire to show for it – the goodies that come with being a citizen of a fully functioning state. And the only way they can show for it is to have the necessary infrastructure, social amenities and anything else that will propel the region to economic prosperity, and unshackling them from the poverty and misery that theirs is synonymous with.
Being out of the country, I am not sure which path the ‘opening up’ will take but I believe NEP will benefit from this strategic plan. NEP, just like upper Eastern and a part of Rift Valley, share a border with Ethiopia. Though the intent of ‘opening up the north’ is not meant for the largely marginalised community, the same will, however, have a multiplier effect on the regional economy.
It needs to be noted that currently, Nairobi and other towns in ‘down country’ profit at NEP’s expense. Most of those beleaguered Kenya Somali businessmen found in many parts of ‘down Kenya’ were in most likelihood running away from the lack of amenities in their remote region. Of course with no proper communication networks the cost of business goes up. This ordinarily forces astute business people to seek other ways of overcoming such obstacles. Sadly, the only sure way of avoiding such hardships, for non state actors, is to relocate to where you can easily access all the necessary amenities for your business to expand.
In addition, some of my friends in college who came from Mandera, the farthest town in the province, rarely went back to their hometown while we were in college in Nairobi. Theirs was indeed understandable. I know it would also have been difficult for me to travel such a long distance and importantly on very pathetic roads. Ironically, it is much easier and cheaper for one to travel by bus from Nairobi to Kampala or Dar es Salaam than take the long haul to Mandera, yet the same is in Kenya. I know we still have a lot to show for our Kenyaness.
Also, the leg between Isiolo and Moyale happens to be one of few unpaved sections of the Trans-African Highway that connects Cairo to Cape Town. The evil Moi, for some devilish reasons, decided to disregard this section. Incidentally, Ethiopia and Sudan which are deemed much poorer have both longer stretches paved than Kenya - the richer southern neighbour. This is despite that fact that the African Development Bank had paid for this particular ‘corridor’. I understand Kibaki, immediately after being sworn in 2003, started some work on this important road. I can’t however, confirm what has been achieved to that end so far.
Unless the policy makers decided to take the Lamu - Tana River – Isiolo – Moyale – Addis Ababa route, NEP will in most likelihood benefit from this important venture. Even in the event that NEP is disregarded for the route above, these districts, too, deserve such a crucial infrastructure. However, I think the shortest route would be from Lamu through Ijara, Garissa, and Wajir, to the border town of Moyale. Supposing that the link would not go through NEP, then the onus then would be on the leaders from this part of the world to agitate for their rights in getting a highway of their own. After all, even the people in NEP pay taxes. They also need, collectively with other leaders from the northern parts of Kenya, to fight for better roads and other infrastructure that properly connects these arid areas to ‘down Kenya’.
Labels: Infrastructure, Kenya, NEP
posted by Baqad at
10:31 AM
2 Comments:
The lack of proper infrastructure is to be blamed on the Somali businessmen and politicians. It was revealed to me, by a very reliable source, that funds were always alloted to improve the infrastructure situation and especially the roads in NEP, however, we have had this business guyz and politicians paying heafty to the Public works to have nothing done as it will shoot transportation costs down.
And do we honestly think, the trucks that ply the NEP route, belong to a Kamau???? No ways
Thanks Anon for your comment. I am aware of that angle too, which still does not negate the points raised above. However, it only shows you how narrow minded some of us really are. Anyway, I am convinced that Eastleigh and some of these Garissa lodges are booming because some people don't want to go back to a place that lacks good roads and other infrastructure.
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