WAJIR, County—President William Ruto has pledged to end decades of discrimination and exclusion against residents of Northern Kenya, saying his administration is committed to ensuring equal citizenship, opportunities and development for communities that have historically faced marginalisation.
Speaking during the 63rd Madaraka Day celebrations in Wajir County, the President said the government is implementing reforms aimed at dismantling barriers that have denied many residents access to critical services and economic opportunities.
“I feel you. I feel this moment, and I feel the people of Northern Kenya. I want to assure you that from now going forward, we are going to walk together shoulder to shoulder as one people, one nation, with a common destiny,” Ruto said.
The President cited the experiences of residents who for years faced difficulties obtaining national identity cards despite being Kenyan citizens, describing the practice as discriminatory and unjust.
He defended reforms introduced in February 2025 through the Presidential Declaration on Registration and Issuance of Identity Cards and Birth Certificates in Northern Kenya and other affected counties, saying the changes were intended to eliminate discrimination while safeguarding national security.
“Kenyan identity cards will only be issued to legitimate citizens of this republic. We did not abolish verification of citizenship. We abolished discrimination,” he said.
According to the President, the reforms have enabled thousands of young people in the region to obtain national identity cards without undergoing additional vetting procedures that had long been criticised by local leaders and human rights groups.
Ruto said the government’s inclusion agenda is anchored on education, healthcare, youth empowerment and infrastructure development.
He announced that teacher training colleges in Wajir, Kutulo and Mandera are now operational to help address teacher shortages in the region, while more than 4,600 students from Northern Kenya are currently enrolled in teacher training programmes.
The President also directed the Ministry of Education to begin consultations on the formal integration of Duksi, Madrasa and pastoral instruction programmes into the national education system to ensure more children access learning opportunities.
On healthcare, Ruto said about 800,000 residents of Wajir, Garissa and Mandera counties have been registered under the Social Health Authority (SHA), with Sh8.1 billion already paid in claims for services offered in the three counties.
He added that more than 7,200 young people across the region have benefited from government entrepreneurship programmes through access to business capital, training and mentorship.
“Our message to the young people of Northern Kenya is simple: your future will not be defined by geography. It will be defined by your talent, your skills and your determination,” the President said.
Ruto said the government’s broader development agenda seeks to ensure that no Kenyan is disadvantaged because of where they were born, stressing that inclusion, justice and equal opportunity must remain central to the country’s future.
