Africa-Press – Kenya. President William Ruto has announced a range of development pledges for Northern Kenya, including plans to build an airport in Mandera and fund community and religious infrastructure, as he stepped up his outreach to the region.
Speaking during a Thanksgiving ceremony for Banisa MP Ahmed Hassan in Mandera County on Saturday, the President said his administration remains committed to accelerating development in historically marginalised areas.
Ruto insisted that Northern Kenya will not be left behind in the country’s transformation agenda.
He said Mandera would eventually have an airport, framing it as part of a broader plan to improve connectivity and integrate the region more closely with the rest of the country.
“Just like other parts of the country, Mandera will have an airport. We will walk this journey together with Banisa, Northern Kenya, and the whole country,” he said.
The President also unveiled a set of financial commitments targeted at education, housing, health, and community infrastructure.
Among them was a pledge of Sh10 million for the construction of a mosque in Banisa, a move he said was intended to support local religious and social development needs there.
In a lighter moment during the event, Ruto directed Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale to contribute an additional Sh2 million towards the mosque project, signalling coordinated political support for community initiatives in the region.
Beyond religious infrastructure, the President announced a Sh600 million affordable housing programme targeting Banisa and Mandera, which he said would deliver about nine housing structures aimed at improving living conditions and stimulating local economies.
“I will come back to inspect…this is part of ensuring dignity through decent housing for all Kenyans,” he said.
On education, Ruto pledged the recruitment of teachers to support schools in the region and directed the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to fast-track the employment of 1,800 teachers in Northern Kenya.
He said the initiative was aimed at addressing what he described as a historical imbalance in resource allocation, particularly in education staffing and access.
“We are correcting historical imbalances. I want those teachers to report when schools reopen after the holiday so that children are not left behind,” he said.
The President also promised to fast-track the issuance of national identification cards and the completion of pending road projects, saying improved documentation and infrastructure would enhance mobility and access to government services.
According to Ruto, these interventions are part of a broader strategy to integrate Northern Kenya into national development frameworks and unlock its economic potential.
The pledges come as the government continues to promote its Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, with a focus on infrastructure, housing, agriculture, and human capital development.
Ruto’s visit to Mandera forms part of his ongoing tour of the northern region, where he has been rallying support.
