Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has ignited a fierce public discourse regarding the persistent underdevelopment of the North Eastern region, accusing absentee governors of treating public office as a private investment vehicle.

The sprawling, arid expanse of Kenya's North Eastern region has long been marginalized, but a recent political storm has thrust its developmental stagnation into the national spotlight. Gachagua's blistering critique has deeply divided the political class and galvanized frustrated residents demanding urgent accountability.

The core of this escalating crisis is a profound failure of local leadership. Local populations, intellectuals, and professionals are increasingly voicing their outrage over absentee county chiefs who allegedly manage their jurisdictions via remote control from the luxurious confines of Nairobi, effectively abandoning the very citizens who elected them.

The Staggering Cost Of Absentee Leadership

Since the advent of devolution in 2013, the five frontier counties of Mandera, Wajir, Garissa, Isiolo, and Marsabit have cumulatively absorbed an astonishing Sh443 billion in recurrent and development budgets. Despite this colossal financial injection, the tangible developmental output remains shockingly minimal. Infrastructure is crumbling, healthcare facilities are chronically under-resourced, and basic public services remain largely an illusion.

The pervasive culture of absentee governance has transformed county headquarters into deserted monuments of administrative failure. Residents frequently report that locating a governor or senior county official in their designated office is an exercise in futility. This leadership vacuum has severe, tangible consequences for daily governance, paralyzing critical decision-making processes and halting vital community projects.

• Cumulative regional expenditure exceeding Sh443 billion with negligible developmental impact.
• Widespread reports of county headquarters remaining deserted during official working hours.
• Severe delays in the procurement and delivery of essential public services and infrastructure.

A Private Investment Vehicle?

The allegations leveled against these county bosses are severe and uncompromising. Critics argue that public office in the region has been cynically commodified, treated less as a sacred mandate for public service and more as a lucrative private investment vehicle. This perception is fuelled by the stark contrast between the conspicuous accumulation of wealth by political elites and the grinding poverty endured by the electorate.

The financial mismanagement is staggering. While millions of dollars—often exceeding $50m (approx. KES 6.5bn) annually per county—are disbursed by the National Treasury, the impact is lost in a labyrinth of phantom projects and ghost workers. The lack of on-the-ground executive oversight provides fertile ground for systemic corruption and administrative lethargy.

The Rising Tide Of Public Accountability

The era of silent suffering in the North Eastern region appears to be rapidly drawing to a close. Gachagua's explosive remarks have acted as a catalyst, emboldening civic groups and ordinary citizens to demand stringent accountability. Town hall meetings and grassroots mobilizations are gaining unprecedented momentum, signaling a profound shift in the political consciousness of the region.

Operating within the stark realities of East Africa Time (EAT), where every passing day without services compounds the region's hardships, the demand for reform is urgent. "The leadership deficit is no longer an open secret; it is a public emergency that requires immediate, decisive intervention," a local professional association leader stated emphatically.

As the political pressure continues to mount exponentially, these absentee county chiefs must urgently realign their priorities or face the full, unmitigated wrath of a deeply disillusioned electorate determined to reclaim the promise of devolution.