Governor concerned over interference in KDRDIP projects in the county

Garissa, Monday June 13, 2023

KNA by Jacob Songok

Garissa governor Nathif Jama has raised concern in what he termed as political interference in the Kenya Development Response to Displacement Impact Project (KDRDIP) in the area.

Nathif said that the meddling in the affairs of the projects was putting the county and community at risk of missing out on the World Bank funding meant for the multi-million projects.

The governor said that already some projects have stalled in parts of Garissa and called on parties involved to reach a consensus quickly before the projects to a close December.

In March this year, two groups from Fafi sub-county one against and opposed to the projects in the area held demonstrations outside the Garissa county commissioner’s offices with later demanding the projects be suspended.  

Nathif was speaking on Monday in his office when he met with a joint delegation from KDRDIP and the World Bank who paid him a courtesy call.

“As leaders we should put our political ambitions aside and pursue the interest of the people who elected us. I urge the warring parties to come together and come up with a consensus so that stalled projects can resume,” Nathif said.

“We risk losing funds running into millions of shillings meant for the World Bank funded projects that comes to an end in December if we don’t come with an amicable solution to our differences,” he added. 

The World Bank team is led by Matthew Stephens and his deputy Annette Omollo, while the KDRDIP team is led by Wilfred Omari the National Project Coordinator KDRDIP.

They are in the county to assess and review some of the projects undertaken under the KDRDIP project in Dadaab and Lagdera sub-counties today and tomorrow.

Present were deputy Governor Abdi Dagane, county secretary Mohamud Hassan, Water CEC Ahmed Sheikh among other senior county officials.

KDRDIP is a Sh10 billion credit by the World Bank to the Government of Kenya and an additional Grant of Sh800 Million by the Danish Government (DANIDA) whose objective is to improve access to basic social services, expand economic opportunities and enhance environmental management in the refugee hosting communities in Garissa, Wajir and Turkana counties.

It was approved by the Bank on April 26, 2017 and became effective on June 28, 2017. It is in its sixth year of implementation with the closing date being 31st December, 2023.

The project operates in Turkana county and specifically Turkana West, Wajir South in Wajir county and Dadaab, Fafi and Lagdera sub-counties in Garissa county.

Courtesy ; K. N. A