Commission Visit to Mandera County

The Commission received a three-day invitation to visit Mandera county and see some of the flagship projects done by the Mandera county government right from the inception of devolution. Between 12^th to 15^th October 2021, the Commission led by the Commission Chairperson Dr Jane Kiringai, accompanied by three Commissioners namely Prof. Edward Oyugi, Dr Irene Asienga and Ms Fouzia Abdirkadir with four other staff visited Mandera county.

Mandera County Government Projects

Mandera Hospital

The Mandera hospital was constructed and has been operational since 2018. I t has the following facilities among others:

Four bed High Dependent Unit
Six bed Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with eight ICU trained nurses
Oxygen plant- It produces 60 oxygen cylinders in a day. The oxygen is pipped into the theatres and covid-19 ward.
Covid-19 laboratory- this was established through partnership between Mandera county and Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI). The lab can produce 300 samples per day, with real time communication of covid-19 cases to the Ministry of Health (MoH). Covid-19 testing is done free of charge. The first sample testing was done in September 2020.
Out-patient Unit- this comprises of the eye unit, casualty and pharmacy section
Theatres: The hospital has three theatres; The outpatient, the delivery unit and the trauma and emergency Theatre (TET). The TET is equipped with all the requisite stabilization equipment including the x-ray machine, 64 slides CT-Scan. There are seven specialists, with other 17 more undergoing training in the University.
The theatre has a success story of operating on a woman from Ethiopia who had a stone baby for 13 years.
Dialysis Unit -six-bed capacity
The maternal unit comprises of the following:

Newborn unit
Kangaroo room

Theatre

Delivery room with two beds
Dante room with four beds- after Caesarean Section (CS)
Has two gynaecologists

Postnatal room

Elwak Level 4 Hospital

The Hospital has among others the following facilities:

Four bed ICU
Three bed High Dependent Unit (HDU)

Laboratory

Three theatres specific for trauma, maternity and general surgery
Observation room- for patients after surgery
New born unit- officially opened by by H.E. Governor Ali Roba on 14^th of October 2021

The hospital often carries out some medical camps
Maternal care is free

Modern laboratory – this was under construction, it is to be finished by March 2022. It is to provide services such as tissue culture, segmentation among others.

Mandera Municipality Fire Brigade Head Quarter

Had two fire brands
There were two water tanks of 100 and 50 cubic metres

Use water from river Daua

Regional Livestock Market

The market comprises of the following livestock: cow, camel, donkey, goat and sheep.
It has a shade for each of the livestock, a loading ramp and an isolation area.
The regional markets intents to explore the Somali livestock market which exports 4 million livestock to the Middle East annually. The objective of the market is to realise the concept of invest, run and diversify and not prestigious investment.

Elimu Avenue

Elimu avenue comprises of: Technical Training Institute (TTI), Muslim university, Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) and Mandera Teachers Training College (MTTC). The county government hopes to use their equalisation fund allocation to complete the construction and hand over the institute to the national government to run it.
The TTI offers certificate and diploma courses. The institution is co-funded by both national and county governments in collaboration with the Chinees government.
The county is optimistic that with the availability of funds, they will be able to train biomedical engineers.
The TTI equip students for engineering and electrical installation, production of nuts and bolt among other things.
There were five students enrolled for mechanical production.

Mandera and Elwak Water and Sewarage Companies

MANDWASCO has been in operation for six years. Mandera county government funds the municipality. However, there is no sewerage as yet.
The total investment is 400million over the last three financial years.
The MANDWASCO is fully owned by the county government but regulated by Water Services Regulatory Board (WASREB).
On the MANDWASCO board sits among others the water sector County Executive Committee Member and the MANDWASCO chief Executive Officer.
Daily water production is 2600 cubic meters.
A total of 3,914 households are connected with piped water.
The sewerage is being done; it is at 45 per cent completion.
Through strategic lobbing the county government got 2.4 billion for water and sewerage which was apportioned 65 per cent and 35 per cent respectively.
Connections are done by the county government and the people pay for the water.
The county also got some funding through Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), Water Trust Fund and the European Union.
The Elwak Water and sewerage company was operationalized in April, but as officially Commissioned by H.E. Governor Ali Roba on the 14^th of October 2021.
They have moved from 47 connections to 200 connections in a year, and 300 boreholes from 65. Approximately the is a bore hole after every 10 Km.

Mandera and Elwak Municipality

The county has two municipalities namely: Mandera Municipality and Elwak.
The Mandera Headquarter Municipality had purchased and installed solar at a cost of Ksh. 9 million. The municipality is powered by solar whose entire capacity is only 60 per cent utilised.
Elwak municipality has been operational for the last one year, however, it was officially opened on the 14^th of October 2021 by H.E. Governor Ali Roba.

1.1 Governor, Deputy Governor and Speaker’s Residence

The Governor’s residence sits on a 20-acre land. The facilities include: a swimming pool, seven bedrooms ensuite, a gym, a house office, three sitting rooms, kitchen among others.
The house will be finished and fully furnished by November 2021.

1.1 County Hotel

The Mandera county government hotel is at the finalizing stage; it included conference facilities, cafeteria, reception and 60 rooms and a swimming pool. This are to be commissioned in December 2021 or latest January 2022.

County Hotel

1.2 New Mandera County Government Offices

The county is constructing a new county executive complex which will be complete in November 2021.
Mandera County Assembly chamber is at the final stage of completion at a cost of Ksh.

1.3 Mandera Stadium

The stadium has been in use for the last seven years.

1.4 Abattoir

A new Abattoir has been constructed and is operational, pending commissioning. The facilities include: Cow, goat and camel holding pens, water troughs, slaughter area, silage lagoon treatment.

Abattoir

1.5 Elwak Regional Market

The market was officially opened on the 14^th of October 2021 by the Commission Chairperson Dr. Jane Kiringai.
The market has 216 market stalls rented at Ksh. 2,000 per month.

Elwak Soft Water Supply Scheme

The scheme has 150 cubic meter tank.
The scheme was officially commissioned by H.E. Governor Ali Roba on 14^th of October 2021.
The fresh water comes from three boreholes in Somali
The bore holes yield 90 litres of water per hour

2.0 Recommendations/ conclusions

The Commission to follow up on the cities and urban areas Bill
Mandera County to be connected to the World Bank programme on cities and Municipalities for assistance in managing their municipalities.