Governor Korane highlights terrorism, drought and lack of employment as the major challenges in Garissa

High degeneracy and donor agencies from EU together with his excellency governor Ali Bunow Korane during a photo group session wearing the traditional Somali attire .

GARISSA—Garissa governor Ali Bunow Korane has pointed out terrorism, drought and lack of employment opportunities as the major challenges that face Garissa County.

He expressed his dissatisfaction that over the last seven years, Al-Shabaab attacks have been pushing potential investors away.

“No one is ready to come to Garissa because they fear they would lose their investment due to insecurity,” said Korane.

He stated that Garissa County has adequate resources which can attract investors and also cited Tana River, which flows for at least 400 kilometers in the county as dependable underground water supply for large-scale irrigation.

Governor Korane requested the state to beef up security in the county.

During a meeting at a Garissa hotel, Korane spoke with Swiss ambassador to Kenya Ralf Heckner and a delegation of UN implementing departments’ agents who were accompanied by resident administrator Siddharth  Chatterjee.

He made it clear that he was ready to engage donors to connect the budget loss on development programmes.

He also complained about the seasonal drought, saying that it had lead to poverty among herders who suffer loss of their livestock.

“In the absence of alternative sources of income, our people have been forced to depend on food handouts from the government and donors,” he added.

Ambassador Heckner said that devolution will change the county’s economy and they were ready to assist in its development.

Micheal Bowen, Devolution PS said the national government is devoted on helping  sectors originally marginalized to elevate.

Bowen mentioned that the creation of both Arid and Semi-Arid lands as a department of the national government as evidence that the Jubilee official was eager on pushing forward the regions.