By Bonface Mulyungi
President William Ruto has said future presidents will have no reason to avoid visiting Wajir after the government completes the construction of a State Lodge in the county.
Speaking on Tuesday while inspecting development projects and addressing residents in Wajir County, Ruto said the facility would ensure the region remains firmly integrated into the country’s governance and development agenda.
The President said the State Lodge would institutionalise presidential visits to the county and help reinforce what he described as efforts to end the historical marginalisation of Northern Kenya.
“I have also come to build a presidential office here in Wajir. There is now a State Lodge. Whoever comes after me, whether they like it or not, will have to come here,” Ruto told residents.
He said the move was part of a broader effort to ensure fairness and inclusion across the country.
The President also announced additional funding for Kotulo Sub-County Hospital, saying the government would allocate Sh70 million to expand and equip the facility.
He praised the county administration for improving the hospital and pledged national government support to enhance healthcare services in the area.
“We will add Sh70 million to your hospital and agree with your governor on the equipment that will be installed there,” he said.
Ruto said the government would provide specialised medical equipment, including a CT scan machine, to reduce the need for residents to seek treatment in other counties or in Nairobi.
“Your hospital will be here. We will install a CT scan and other equipment so that all your treatment can be completed here,” he said.
The President said he had deliberately chosen Wajir as the venue for this year’s Madaraka Day celebrations to demonstrate that the county occupies an important place in Kenya’s national development.
“We came to hold the Madaraka Day celebrations here in Wajir so that the whole country can know that Wajir is at the centre of Kenya, not at the edge of Kenya,” he said.
His remarks came as he concluded a three-day tour of Wajir and Garissa counties focused on infrastructure, energy, housing, water and education projects.
According to the President, the government is investing Sh100 billion in the 750-kilometre Horn of Africa Gateway Development Project linking Isiolo, Wajir and Mandera. The road corridor is expected to improve connectivity within Northern Kenya and strengthen links with Ethiopia and Somalia.
During the tour, Ruto inspected the construction of the 64-kilometre Tarbaj-Kotulo section of the Isiolo-Mandera road, saying the project would lower transport costs, improve movement of goods and people and boost cross-border trade, particularly in livestock.
He also announced investments worth Sh15 billion in Wajir County to support the construction of 18 modern markets, 2,000-bed student hostels and 4,600 affordable housing units.
In Eldas Constituency, the President laid the foundation stone for 580-bed student hostels at Eldas Teachers Training College and commissioned the Sh460 million Eldas Water Supply Project. He further committed an additional Sh900 million to improve water access in the area.
The government is also expanding electricity access across Northern Kenya through an Sh8.4 billion programme targeting more than 53,000 households. Of that amount, Sh4.1 billion has been earmarked for connecting 26,000 households in Wajir County to the national grid.
The President additionally inspected progress on the 257-kilometre Lamu-Ijara-Garissa Road, part of the 453-kilometre LAPSSET Corridor Development Project, which is scheduled for completion early next year.
Ruto said the projects demonstrate the government’s commitment to ending decades of underdevelopment in Northern Kenya through sustained investment in infrastructure and public services.
“We have concluded our three-day tour of Wajir and Garissa counties, reaffirming our commitment to ending the historical marginalisation of Northern Kenya through sustained investment in development programmes and infrastructure,” he said.
He thanked residents of the two counties for their support and engagement during the tour, saying the government would continue working to unlock the region’s economic potential and ensure no part of the country is left behind.
