The Problem With NEP

By  Aden Sh-abdullahi Yunis 

We have spent the last 45 years blaming politicians and lamenting about marginalization without addressing the root causes or debating the possible solutions. We have consistently elected the same breed of politicians while the province sank deeper and deeper into political, economic and social miseries. The province is so predictable that we would trail in sports, drama, science congress competition and even in population census. These pathetic scenarios are exaggerated by natural calamities such as heat, low rainfalls and rugged terrains. 

In the education sector, the three old districts (include the newly created)compete at the bottom during KCPE and KCSE results. These is because the performances of our children are being doctored by among others the absence of teachers and teaching aids. Over the years, We have learnt that Kenya's leading student's trail behind our children once they attend same classes in public universities. (No malice intended) 

Healthcare is a nightmare that beats all logics. Dispensaries are either non-existent or ill-equiped, unmanned and so dispersed that basic treatable diseases are the leading cause of death in NEP. Awareness is a non-existent luxury and you can guess the fate of a heart attack patient in a province where burials are conducted within minutes of death.... See More 

There are no reasons why tarmac roads are extended to all the country's border points except North Eastern province. This is a deliberate economic sabotage. It is a folly that tarmac roads are extended to Mombasa, Namanga, Narok, Busia, Lokichoggio and not in the easier terrains of Nep. We are the only solutions to our problems. We have the rights to publicise these issues or tolerate the words silently.I beleive Nep is capable of reaching greater goals. 

We can strenghthen our politicians by setting goals and holding them accountable, by making sure both constituents and politicians appreciate the power of the vote. We can differ on issues and personalities but we will always have common interests and middle grounds. We can bet that all interested parties would prefer better infrastructure, more hospitals and educational institutions, lower taxes and a constitution that gives power back to the people. To achieve these goals, we should encourage a communal approach to the challenges, add up ideas soberly and set the foundation for a better, well administered, politically mature North Eastern province. 

The challenges facing the province today can be solved by awareness campaigns. Some might require time and effort from our generation for the betterment of our successors. CONSIDER THESE QUESTIONS: 

Why do NEP residents go to the police instead of the courts when someone is arrested?
Why do we pay fines that are not court-ordered and without receipts? 
Why do we break in ululations when a District commissioner promises to address power outages 
Why shouldn't the KPLC boss do his job? 
If NEP records the lowest crime every year, Why are we leading in police arrests? 
Why is it that only 2% of those arrested reach the court? 
Why are our MPs inaccessible after elections? 
Can our Gov't afford a tarmac road from Isiolo to Moyale(Eastern)? Hulugho to Mandera? 
Can we afford one public university in Nep? JUST ONE! 
Why is media-coverage restricted in Nep and why do we have to buy papers that do not cover our pleas? 

A college degree and finding a middle class job in the city will not change Nep. Our elites must be politically active and negotiate for each vote that the Gov't gets from Nep. We should create pressure groups to keep MPs on the run and deny them a chance to sleep in parliament. Peaceful masses should camp at parliamentarians doors in the wee hours of the morning! What do you think?