President William Samoei Ruto on Saturday attended a women empowerment programme at Mandera Stadium in Mandera County.

During the visit to the county, the President underscored the government’s commitment to supporting women and addressing long-standing development challenges in the region.

President Ruto was accompanied by several senior leaders, including Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, his Public Service counterpart Geoffrey Ruku, and Mandera Governor Adan Khalif.

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Speaking during the event, President Ruto emphasised the central role of women in driving household welfare and national development, noting that empowering them has a direct impact on entire communities.

“We believe that when women benefit, the whole community and the country benefit. I want to laud our women for their contributions—raising and caring for our families, running businesses,” he said.

The President framed the empowerment programme as part of a broader government strategy to strengthen grassroots economies, particularly through support for women-owned enterprises, savings groups, and small businesses.

He further pledged increased engagement with Mandera County, indicating that he would make more frequent visits to the region to monitor development projects and address local concerns.

During the address, Ruto also took a strong stance against tribalism and divisive politics, warning that such rhetoric undermines national cohesion and slows down development.

He called for unity among communities in northern Kenya, urging leaders and residents to focus on economic progress rather than ethnic divisions.

On development commitments, the President highlighted plans to improve access to electricity in the region, acknowledging that energy shortages remain a key barrier to growth and investment.

He assured residents that the government would work to expand connectivity under ongoing electrification programmes.

In the education sector, Ruto announced plans to recruit an additional 1,800 teachers for Northern Kenya, a move aimed at addressing staffing gaps in schools and improving learning outcomes in the region, which has historically faced shortages in educational resources.