The government has announced that preparations for the 2026 Madaraka Day celebrations in Wajir County are nearing completion, with officials expressing confidence that all major works will be ready before the event on June 1.

In a statement on Thursday, May 14, the Ministry of Interior said Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo led an inspection tour of various sites in Wajir, noting that preparations had reached 84 per cent and that the remaining works were progressing steadily.

“We are pleased with the progress made so far. The preparations currently stand at 84 percent and we expect that between the 20th and 25th of this month, most of the key works will have been completed,” Omollo said.

The inspection exercise focused on the main venue for the celebrations, infrastructure projects, rehearsal grounds, and other supporting facilities being prepared for the national event. 

Parade drills and coordination activities involving security and ceremonial teams are already ongoing ahead of the celebrations.

The government is also planning a thematic week scheduled to run from May 25 to May 31, 2026, at Wagberi Primary School. 

According to officials, the programme will centre on education, skills, and the future, in line with the theme of this year’s Madaraka Day celebrations.

At the same time, preparations are continuing at the official residence where William Ruto is expected to host a State luncheon for invited guests during the celebrations.

Omollo said taking the national celebrations to Wajir demonstrates the government’s commitment to promoting inclusivity, national unity, and equal distribution of major national events across different parts of the country.

He also urged Kenyans planning to attend the celebrations to observe the programme schedule, noting that the timings had been carefully organised to accommodate midday prayers observed in the region.

“We encourage all attendees to be seated by 8:00 a.m. as the celebrations will begin promptly to ensure smooth flow of the programme,” he added.