Page 83 - MANDERA-COUNTY- THE 2019 MAGAZINE

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Reflections of meteoric growth

MZEE HAJI BULLOW

hen the name of Mohamed Kahio system have constructed
Osman is mentioned in Mandera their offices and there is
Wtown and its environs, it does not general improvement in
ring a bell to the majority of the residents, but the business atmosphere
when you talk of Haji Bullow it elicits fear and in the county. Facilities
love in equal measures. that we used to see in
Having served as chairman of the expansive Nairobi are now readily
Mandera County Council for a decade and available here” Bullow
Mayor for five years, Bullow is well-known says with a smile.
by the locals and revered in political circles,
having brought down political opponents and The respected elder is
elevated others despite having come from a however appealing to the Governor to closely
minority corner tribe. safeguard the interests of the minority tribes
to enable them have a say in leadership and
Bullow wielded immense power and served the awarding of tenders.
as a Kanu Chairman during retired President
Moi’s era, which earned him an equal number In his time, observes the former mayor, the
of friends and enemies. He opines that is now funding from the central government was
water under the bridge as he is now ready to minimal and the council basically depended
work with all the elected leaders for the sake on revenue collection which was meagre and
of the development of Mandera County. unable to either sustain or initiate meaningful
development, unlike what is being witnessed
He recalls that during his time as the chair- today in the county.
man of the defunct county council and also
subsequently as Mayor, he initiated several He however notes that the allocation to the Since the promulgation
developments and fought for the rights of the county was low, observing that even if one of the new Constitution
minority tribes but adds that the dynamics merged Kakamega, Kisumu and Vihiga coun-
have now changed greatly. ties they could not measure to even a half of and introduction of
Mandera and faulted the Commission of Rev- county governments,
“During my tenure, despite coming from the enue Allocation (CRA) for “under-allocating”
corner tribe, I was able to be elected as a funds to the county. Mandera County has
Chairman and Mayor but the situation now experienced a meteoric
is different. There is stiff political competition “The Governor is really trying his level best
among the large tribes which has seen the to utilize resources allocated to him bearing rise in development, in
minority tribes marginalized. I am asking the mind the expansive nature of the county. I terms of infrastructure
Governor to intervene on this,” he said during have served in the same capacity under less
an interview. resources and I understand what the Gov- and service delivery
ernor is going through. The allocation of the under the leadership of
Bullow, 80, notes that since the promulga- revenue should be reviewed so as to favour
tion of the new Constitution and introduction expansive counties,” he urges. Governor Ali Roba
of devolution, Mandera County has expe-
rienced a meteoric rise in development, in He concludes saying he is ready to support
terms of infrastructure and service delivery the elected leaders and the Governor in order
under the leadership of Governor Roba. to ensure that Mandera attains a high evel of
development and effectively deliver service
“Roads have now been tarmacked, all the to the people.
government ministries under the devolved