Wajir DG Muhumed: National govt key to unlocking roads, dams development
By Sharon Atieno, June 5, 2026Wajir Deputy Governor Ahmed Muhumed has said that access to roads, dams, and other key infrastructure remains a major development gap in the region, insisting that such transformative projects cannot be fully delivered by county governments alone without strong national government support.
Speaking during an interview on a local station on Thursday, June 4, 2026, Muhumed argued that while devolution has improved service delivery, counties still lack the capacity to implement large-scale affirmative action projects that require heavy capital investment.
“We need access to roads, access to dams and these are some of the affirmative actions that county governments cannot deliver alone,” he said. “They can only be done effectively by the national government.”
He maintained that counties should continue focusing on basic service delivery, while strategic infrastructure such as major roads, water storage systems, and regional connectivity must remain a shared responsibility with the national government.
Muhumed noted that Wajir continues to face historical infrastructure gaps that have slowed development and economic inclusion, especially in transport and water access.
“This is not just about one county,” he added. “It is about correcting long-standing regional imbalance through deliberate national investment.”
National government intervention
His remarks come amid renewed government efforts to boost infrastructure in northern Kenya, where President William Ruto recently promised to transform Griftu town through major road works and urban development projects.
During a visit to Wajir County on Sunday, May 31, 2026, Ruto announced that the government had set aside close to Ksh1 billion for road construction and upgrading in Griftu, saying the settlement must be elevated into a modern town.
“Hii Griftu tumewapatia pesa karibu billioni moja ya kutengeneza hii barabara yenu hapa,” Ruto said.
He added that tarmacking works would be rolled out to ease movement challenges caused by dust during dry seasons and impassable roads during rainy seasons.
“Eeh bwana! Hapa tuweke lami mingi ikae chonjo. Muwache kusumbuliwa na vumbi hapa na matope,” he added.
Development push under BETA agenda
The president linked the projects to his Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), saying development must begin from the grassroots and uplift historically marginalised regions.
“Ama namna gani, si tulikubaliana bottom up?” he posed.
Muhumed welcomed such interventions, saying they remain critical in addressing infrastructure inequality and unlocking economic growth in Wajir and other arid regions that have lagged behind for decades.