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Marsabit eyes cross-border mega projects for growth

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The Turkana Wind Power substation project in Laisamis, Marsabit, in January. PHOTO | SALATON NJAU

Marsabit has become the first northern Kenya county to revise its development plan to tap opportunities arising from cross-border projects as it seeks to lift millions of residents out of poverty.

Under an initiative dubbed the Kenya-Ethiopia Cross Border Programme, the United Nations Development Programme has been helping the counties to revise their development plans and formulate new policies to benefit from the mega projects in their areas.

Marsabit officially launched its upgraded integrated development plan (CIDP) in Nairobi on December 6.

“Marsabit occupies a strategic geographical location in this country and its success is bound to contribute immensely to other national development initiatives,” Planning and Devolution secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri said in a speech.

The CIDP, for instance, prepares the county to tap opportunities spawned by mega projects such as the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport corridor and the Merrile-Moyale highway to grow its economy.

The two cross-border projects seek to link Kenya to the second most populous country in Africa — Ethiopia, with an estimated population of 100 million, and a gross domestic product per capita of about $1,500.

Marsabit, with a population of 178,218 males, and 165,145 females, is one of the poorest counties in Kenya. About 83 per cent of its residents live below $1 per day compared to the national average of 47 per cent.

Official data shows that gender inequality index in the county is also high at .0693 compared to the national average of 0.622.

“Despite these socioeconomic challenges, the county has immense socioeconomic potential for development. It has a large number of livestock, which can be harnessed for meat, dairy, and tannery products.” said governor Ukur Yatani.

Apart from the cross-border projects, the northern Kenya counties have a high potential for solar, wind and biogas energy. The Loyangalani Wind Power Project in Turkana, for instance, is expected to inject 330 megawatts into the national grid.

Dr Asfaw Kummsa, the chief technical adviser at the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office said Kenya would easily tap counties’ potential through the CIDPs to meet its sustainable development goals.

The strategy, he added, could also work for many other African countries such as Ghana, Namibia, Uganda and Ethiopia which have decentralised policies and governance systems.

“Devolution should empower local communities through a development agenda that is proximal and largely informed by public priorities at the local level,” said Dr Kummsa.