The official residence of Mandera Governor has caused a stir on social media for the better part of Thursday, October 14, after pictures emerged online.
A section of Kenyans questioned why the County Government incurred huge costs in building the two-storey castle-like home for the Governor while some of the residents were wallowing in abject poverty.
Netizens argued that residents were struggling to get decent meals and water, adding that the county had misplaced priorities.
"People are starving! Let's not worship leaders and forget citizens whom they should serve," Francis Kungu stated.
"Devolution worked on buildings but couldn't work on how to deal with drought and famine," journalist Oliver Mathenge commented.
With its stunning exterior, the house, which is located in vast dry land and with an expansive perimeter wall, stands out like a rose in the desert, spotting its grey colour and large American-style windows.
Since Governor Ali Roba assumed office in 2013, he vowed to develop the County with new landmark architectural masterpieces.
Some of the masterpieces include the County Assembly, which is designed in the shape of a cow’s head, a five-star hotel, the governor's residence and a stadium.
“Our mission is to improve lives. We will make it easier to reach hospitals and easier to reach international markets. Getting infrastructure right will spur growth in all other sectors,” he explained in a past interview.
On Tuesday, October 13, the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA) commended Mandera county for its implementation of devolved programmes.
The commission was on a three-day visit of the Country to access the impact of devolution since its inception in 2013.
“I want to say that this is one county that really demonstrates the true meaning of devolution. We have been able to see infrastructure development not just at the county but subcounty level, the lives of the ordinary people are truly being touched and changed,” the commission's chairperson, Jane Kiringai, stated.
