Wajir County has intensified preparations for this year’s Madaraka Day celebrations following a high-level inspection by a national delegation that reviewed the county’s readiness to host the historic national event.
The delegation, led by Dr. Raymond Omollo, Principal Secretary in the State Department for Internal Security and National Administration and Chair of the National Steering Committee for the upcoming Madaraka Day celebrations, toured Wajir on April 30 to assess progress on key government projects and inspect preparations ahead of the national celebrations.
He was accompanied by Principal Secretary for Defence Patrick Mariru and representatives from various state agencies involved in planning and coordinating the event.
Speaking after the inspection, Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi said the county remains firmly on course to deliver a successful Madaraka Day celebration, noting that progress made so far reflects strong coordination between the county and national governments.
“The delegation assessed the progress of key government projects and the county’s preparedness to host this year’s national celebrations. From the engagements and field inspections conducted, I am satisfied that we are on course and making steady progress toward delivering a successful national event,” said Governor Abdullahi.
He said the visit marked an important milestone as Wajir enters the final phase of preparations for what will be the first national celebration of its kind to be hosted in the region.
Governor Abdullahi called on residents to take collective ownership of the occasion, describing Madaraka Day as a historic opportunity for Wajir to showcase its identity, progress, and potential to the rest of the country.
“As we move into the final phase of preparations, I call upon the residents of Wajir to take collective ownership of this historic occasion. This is an opportunity to showcase our county, our culture, and our potential to the rest of the country,” he said.
“Your cooperation and support will be critical to ensuring that we host a memorable and well-organised Madaraka Day.”
The governor also expressed appreciation to President William Ruto for supporting Wajir’s development and backing the county’s preparations to host the national event.
“I also wish to express my sincere appreciation to H.E. William Samoei Ruto for his continued support and commitment to the development of this region,” he said.
A day after the inspection, Governor Abdullahi announced that Wajir Stadium had reached 70 percent completion, describing the milestone as a major step in the county’s preparedness to host the celebrations.
“Wajir Stadium is now 70% complete, marking a major milestone in our preparedness to host this year’s Madaraka Day, the first national celebration in the region,” he said.
He said the progress reflects the government’s commitment to delivering key infrastructure on schedule while positioning Wajir as a capable host for national events and opening up new opportunities for economic growth and regional visibility.
“This progress reflects the government’s commitment to delivering key infrastructure on schedule and positioning Wajir as a capable host for national events, while opening up new opportunities for local economic growth and regional visibility,” he said.
Governor Abdullahi said Wajir’s hosting of Madaraka Day is the result of deliberate collaboration between the county and national governments, which has helped unlock major infrastructure investments across the region.
“When partnerships work, progress follows,” he said.
He noted that the county’s selection to host Madaraka Day followed the successful hosting of the Pastoral Leadership Summit, which brought together more than 15 pastoral counties and over 112 legislators, with President William Ruto attending as Chief Guest.
“It was during this engagement, through our strategic partnership, that the President committed to bringing Madaraka Day celebrations to Wajir. Today, that promise has been fulfilled,” he said.
Beyond preparations for the national event, the Governor said Wajir has already begun to benefit from transformative investments tied to the celebrations, including the construction of Wajir International Stadium, upgrading of key municipal roads to bitumen standards, expansion of Wajir International Airport, installation of street lighting, and the development of a County State Lodge that will host the President’s luncheon during Madaraka Day.
He said the projects are not only preparing Wajir for a successful national celebration, but also laying the foundation for long-term economic growth, improved connectivity, and increased regional visibility.
“For a long time, Wajir benefited mainly from county allocations. Today, through deliberate collaboration with the National Government, we are finally partaking in broader national development,” he said.
Governor Abdullahi thanked President Ruto for what he described as unwavering support and partnership in advancing Wajir’s development agenda.
“I sincerely thank H.E. the President for his unwavering support and partnership in advancing the development of Wajir,” he said.
As preparations gather pace, county leaders say Wajir is steadily positioning itself not only to host a successful Madaraka Day celebration, but also to leverage the national spotlight to accelerate development and showcase its transformation to the country.