Residents of Wajir County have identified the poor state of the roads in the region, terming it as their most pressing development challenge during public consultations conducted by the Presidential Exploratory Committee (PEC) in the county.
The concern emerged during a public engagement forum held in Wajir Town on Tuesday, where residents, community leaders, and other stakeholders presented their views on governance, development priorities, and public policy issues affecting the county.
Speaking to the media after the consultations, PEC Chairperson Mary Kathomi Riungu said the committee was satisfied with the level of public participation, noting that the views collected would be incorporated in the final report.
“We came to Wajir County to listen to the people and understand the issues affecting them at both the national and county levels. The people spoke openly about the challenges they face and gave their proposals on what they believe should be prioritised,” Riungu said.
She said while residents raised concerns on several issues, including access to essential services and development, the poor condition of the Wajir-Garissa road dominated the discussions.
“The road connecting Wajir to Garissa is in a poor state, and residents told us it has become difficult to use. The condition of the road has affected transport, trade, movement of people, and access to important services. This is a major concern that requires urgent attention,” she said.
Riungu noted that improved road infrastructure would reduce travel time, facilitate trade, improve access to healthcare and education, and strengthen the county’s economic links with neighbouring counties and the rest of the country.
She said the committee had taken note of the concerns raised and would include them in its report after analyzing submissions collected from all the regions visited.
“The views we have received from Wajir will form part of our recommendations. Every county has unique priorities, and our responsibility is to document those concerns accurately and present them for consideration,” she added.
Riungu explained that the committee’s assignment was to engage citizens directly and gather their views on issues affecting governance, development, and service delivery.
She said public participation remained an important avenue for ensuring that citizens contribute to discussions on national issues and development priorities.
The Presidential Exploratory Committee was constituted through a gazette notice issued on 22 November 2024 by Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah Okoiti.
The 10-member committee was mandated to gather, analyze, evaluate, and act on information to advise the senator on preparations for a possible presidential bid in the August 2027 General Election.
The committee has been conducting consultations in selected counties across the country to collect public views on governance, economic development, infrastructure, service delivery, and other issues affecting citizens.
The Wajir forum marked the conclusion of the committee’s consultation exercise in the county and provided residents with an opportunity to articulate the challenges they consider most critical to the region’s development.
Residents maintained that improving the Wajir-Garissa road would enhance the movement of goods and passengers, lower transport costs, improve access to government services and stimulate economic activities within the county and across the North Eastern region.
The committee is expected to compile the views gathered during the nationwide consultations into a report that will inform its recommendations.
By Hamdi Buthul
