Forgotten people of Northern Kenya.....optimistic?

In a country where subsequent governments alienate whole Northern Kenya Region for over 4 decades and still get away with it, it´s good that someone came up with the idea of a Ministry for Northern Kenya and other Arid Areas. These are arguably the most neglected in the country and the creation of a ministry for them at least shows that the leadership appreciates the need for some speedy reversal of this unfortunate situation.

But I don´t believe a government ministry is what the doctor ordered for Northern Kenya and other arid areas. If we look at it in terms of ministries then all ministries in Kenya should all go and camp there. For one a lot of Education is required to empower the locals to actively participate in the development of their own. There´s need for water technology and water harvesting for domestic and irrigation purposes, livestock management through building of abattoirs, introduction of farming of fruits, vegetables, medicinal and horticultural crops – there´s just too much. Maybe Najib Balala´s next challenge should be to have more tourists there in future if at all there are any now. And who knows the areas could produce some athletes and soccer stars if someone looked hard enough?

Prime Minister Raila Odinga's creation of the Ministry of Northern Kenya and Other Arid Areas is apt and innovative.It shows that his party has foresight because it thinks of the present and future of all Kenya people. The Kenya Prime Minister has made history. The creation of the new ministry can be rationalised from three distinct perspectives.

First, it is a fulfillment of the ODM party manifesto. During his campaigns, Raila promised to create a ministry entirely dedicated to address the historic realities of northern Kenya and to exploit the region´s potential.

Second, the ministry, is in a way, an admission of the urgent need to address historic grievances and injustices, endless massacres and the inhuman treatment of the Northerners. The region has a tortured history.The abuse of human rights had for long been underpinned through section 127 of the Constitution. That section was repealed in 1992.

Third, successive governments have marginalised the region since 1963 as a matter of policy. It was starved of any meaningful developmental programmes: schools, hospitals and infrastructure. To date, the region has less than one kilometre of tarmac roads. The only budgetary allocation was in relation to the security needs of State.

The new ministry is rich in both symbolism and potential. It specifically identifies with the region. It is, however, the darling of just one section of Government. The other section resisted its creation without success.

Once the region comes at par with the rest of the country, the ministry must wind up. Second, we must be vigilant from the likely metamorphosis of the ministry into a huge non-governmental organisation. If a time span is not created, the mandarins in the ministry are likely to transform it into a donor funded gravy train.