Former Mandera Senator Billow Kerrow has rejected claims that corruption by leaders from Northern Kenya is responsible for the region’s persistent underdevelopment, describing the narrative as misleading and unfair.
His remarks follow comments by Senior Counsel Ahmednasir Abdullahi, who supported former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s assertion that Northern leaders have looted public funds and invested the money in Nairobi.
In a statement shared on X, Kerrow argued that the figures cited to justify the claims are exaggerated.
He said devolved funds allocated to the five Northern counties are about half of the Sh1 trillion often referenced in public debate, adding that the resources have produced visible development outcomes rather than being siphoned away.
Kerrow pointed to education as a key example, noting that the Constituency Development Fund has been used to build hundreds of schools in the region.
County governments, he added, continue to support education through bursaries and other forms of assistance.
On healthcare, Kerrow acknowledged that counties have invested in building hospitals but said service delivery is affected by poor management and inadequate drug supplies.
He noted that such challenges are common across many parts of the country and should not be used to single out Northern Kenya.
Kerrow said the real driver of underdevelopment is the region’s reliance on devolved funds, while the National Government retains about 85 percent of the national budget.
This, he argued, explains the lack of major infrastructure such as tarmac roads, electricity connections, water systems, national schools, and referral hospitals.
Kerrow added that improved infrastructure and security would encourage more residents to invest and live in Northern Kenya.