By Mohamed Siyad - Reporter
Kenya, 13 August 2026 - In a major push to boost civic participation and accelerate regional infrastructure initiatives, the Principal Secretary (PS) for the State Department for National Government Coordination paid an extensive official visit to Wajir North Sub-County.
During the developmental tour, the PS called on residents across the North Eastern region to register in large numbers as voters ahead of upcoming electoral milestones.
Addressing local leaders, youth groups, and community members during a public engagement baraza, the Principal Secretary stressed that democratic representation and equitable resource distribution are directly tied to voter registration numbers.
Civic Empowerment: The PS urged eligible youth and adults who have received their National Identity Cards (IDs) to register immediately with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
Infrastructure & Security Assessment: The tour included inspections of ongoing national government projects aimed at improving roads, water access, and administrative offices in border sub-counties.
Streamlining Last-Mile Services: Government officials assured residents of faster processing and issuance of essential national documents, including national IDs and birth certificates.
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The Principal Secretary noted that historically underrepresented regions like the North Eastern border counties must leverage their civic rights to influence policy and development agendas at both national and county levels.
"Your vote is your voice, and your power to demand equitable development lies in that voter’s card," the PS stated, calling on traditional elders, religious leaders, and grassroots mobilizers to spearhead community-wide voter awareness campaigns.
During the tour, local stakeholders presented key challenges facing Wajir North, prompting commitments from the National Government to strengthen inter-agency collaboration in several priority sectors:
Local leaders and elders in Wajir North welcomed the visit, pledging to work alongside government agencies to conduct household-to-household mobilization. Community elders highlighted that resolving delays in ID issuance remains a crucial first step toward enabling young adults to enlist on the voter roll.
The State Department reaffirmed its commitment to establishing mobile registration units in hard-to-reach rural settlements, ensuring pastoralist communities are not disenfranchised due to geographical distances.
PS Ahmed Abdisalan Urges Mass Voter Registration During High-Level Development Tour of Wajir North
Abdisalan stressed that democratic representation and equitable resource distribution are directly tied to voter registration numbers.