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Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi fiercely defends devolution in Northern Kenya, arguing that the region has achieved miraculous development despite harsh conditions and political criticism.

Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi has issued a stinging rebuttal to claims that Northern Kenya's development lag is due to poor leadership, terming the accusations "disconnected from reality."
The Council of Governors Vice-Chair was responding to remarks by political figures, including former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, suggesting that the region has little to show for the billions received in equitable share. Abdullahi's defense was not just a denial; it was a counter-charge grounded in the unique hardships of the frontier counties.
"You cannot compare Wajir to Kiambu," Abdullahi argued during a passionate address. [...](asc_slot://start-slot-15)"We started from a base of negative zero. When devolution came, we didn't have a single kilometer of tarmac in some areas. Today, we have built medical training colleges from scratch, tarmac roads, and water pans in the deep interior."
The Governor emphasized that a significant portion of devolved funds in the North is consumed by crisis management—specifically drought and emergency relief—which "eats into the development budget in a way that doesn't happen in high-potential areas."
The spat reignites the perennial debate on the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA) formula. Leaders from the North argue that "one man, one shilling" ignores the vastness of the territory and the cost of service delivery. "It costs ten times more to deliver a vaccine in Wajir South than in Thika," Abdullahi noted.
As the devolution conference approaches, the Governor's strong stance signals that the Northern Bloc will not accept being the punching bag for national fiscal frustrations. They are demanding respect for the strides made, however invisible they may be to Nairobi-based critics.
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