Wajir North MP accuses state of ignoring livestock, water crisis

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Wajir North MP Ibrahim Saney has once again launched a scathing attack on the Kenya Kwanza administration, accusing it of neglecting the Northeast and failing to address pressing needs.

He said the region has little to celebrate.

Saney spoke on Monday in Wajir town during the fourth edition of the Wajir County Qur'an Competition and Prize-Giving Ceremony.

This marks the third time the UDA legislator has publicly criticised the government, alleging deliberate neglect and minimal effort to uplift the region after decades of marginalisation.

Saney pointed to the continued underdevelopment of key sectors such as livestock, water, and roads, which he described as the economic lifeline of the region.

He lamented little has been done to cushion residents against the perennial drought that continues to devastate livelihoods.

“For how long will our people continue to depend on relief food?” he posed.

“Shall we always live in indignation, taking relief food—yellow maize or rice whose quality we do not even know? Shall we continue sourcing fodder from other parts of the country?”

In what appeared to be a veiled attack on the government’s Affordable Housing Programme, Saney argued housing is not a priority for residents of the largely pastoralist region.

“I have worked in the humanitarian sector. Food and water come first, followed by proper healthcare. Housing comes last. As long as you have food, water and good health, you can even sleep in the open. Our priority is livelihoods—our cows,” he said.

“For us pastoralists, our cows are our savings accounts and our camels are our fixed deposit accounts. We do not have conventional current accounts in banks. Those animals are our wealth.”

The MP further questioned why the government has bailed out coffee and miraa farmers while the livestock sector—which sustains thousands of families in the region—remains unsupported.

“We have seen the government bail out coffee and miraa farmers. Why are these subsidies not reaching us? Why is the livestock sector not cushioned from the effects of drought? Sixty-three years of independence — what do we have to celebrate?” he asked.

Saney, who is serving his second term after first holding office between 2013 and 2017, said his criticism should not be misconstrued as hostility towards the government.

“I elected President Ruto for a purpose and a reason, not out of fantasy. I trust him and I still want to elect him. But there are things he must do before the next general election," he said.

"If things continue this way up to December, I will have questions to answer at home—what have you done and what have you brought?”

Adan Daud said the region’s relationship with the government ahead of the next election will depend on accountability and tangible development outcomes.

He said Wajir East constituency continues to grapple with frequent power blackouts, alongside challenges in water and infrastructure.

“Our relationship with the government will depend on accountability. We will not say we love this government for the sake of it. We have a myriad of challenges, including water, infrastructure, and electricity. When the time comes, we will go through the list and tick what has been accomplished and what has not,” Daud said.

“In the event we do not succeed in having these projects implemented, we will return to our people and tell them we tried our best but were unable to deliver, and perhaps it will be time to try elsewhere.”

INSTANT ANALYSIS

The growing discontent among leaders from the Northeastern region signals mounting political pressure on the Kenya Kwanza administration as they demand greater inclusion and targeted interventions to address long-standing socio-economic challenges.