Wajir's Madaraka Day reveals decades of deliberate neglect in Kenya's North

Wajir County hosted this year’s 63rd Madaraka Day celebrations, marking a rare moment of national recognition for the region. Yet the event also highlighted decades of neglect, with locals reflecting on how deliberate underinvestment has left the North far behind other parts of Kenya. Sixty-three years ago, as Kenyans raised the national flag for the first time, the people of Wajir, Garissa, and Mandera had little to celebrate. The newly independent government focused resources on regions deemed to have 'high potential' for agriculture and industry. The North, by contrast, was treated as a security concern rather than an economic frontier.

The consequences of this approach remain visible today. Had the government built a network of tarmacked roads connecting Wajir to Isiolo and the Lamu port in 1963, the region could have thrived as a trade hub for Ethiopia and Somalia. Instead, poor infrastructure has stifled growth. Similarly, irrigation schemes along the Daua and Tana Rivers were never developed, leaving Wajir dependent on food aid rather than self-sufficiency. Education and healthcare suffered the same neglect. While universities and technical schools were established in other regions, the North received none, leaving many young people with few opportunities. The lack of hospitals—far fewer per capita than in places like Kiambu or Kisumu—has contributed to persistently high maternal mortality rates. Without investment in schools and jobs, some youth have turned to migration or extremist groups out of desperation. The disparities were not accidental. Policymakers in 1963 justified uneven development as a pragmatic choice, but the result was marginalisation by design. Today, as Wajir marks Madaraka Day, the occasion serves as a reminder of how far the region still has to go.

The 63rd Madaraka Day in Wajir underscores both progress and unfulfilled potential. While the celebrations symbolise inclusion, they also reveal the lasting impact of decades-old decisions. Without sustained investment in roads, education, healthcare, and agriculture, the North will continue to lag behind the rest of the country.