Marsabit County Departments

Marsabit county is located at the furthest end of Kenya to the North bordering Ethiopia. It is county number 010 in the county numbering system. It borders Turkana County to the west, Samburu County to the south, and Wajir and Isiolo counties to the east. It is the second-largest county in geographical mapping. The county’s major economic activity is livestock keeping and trade with the neighboring country Ethiopia. The people also engage in crop farming such as maize, beans, wheat, pulses, fruits, and miraa. The county however is among The county was first governed by Hon. Ukur Yatani Kanacho from the year 2013-2017 where he lost to governor Mohammud Ali during the 2017 general election.  The office of Marsabit county is working towards achieving a lot including what we shall discuss in the constitutes of the different ministries.

Education, Skills Development, Culture, Youth, And Sports

This department in the county plays a big role especially in children and youths as it takes care of their future. It has been able to promote and provide standardized education as well as train youth and equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge for self-development. The department is looking forward to improving education by establishing more ECDE centers and polytechnics. Through the formulation of policies and strategies to empower the youth, teachers, sportsmen, and women is among the department plans. The residents will have equal access to education despite their age or gender.  Through the department, there has been improvement in education as it has pushed for the construction of extra schools. Despite its scattered population, the county has thirteen high schools including three national schools. The department has been at the forefront in the preservation of their culture by holding up cultural days to remind the people of their culture and its importance. The department has, however, face several challenges including drought which makes it difficult to keep students in schools on empty stomachs.

Roads, Public Works, Housing, And Transport

The department has a mandate of ensuring proper construction of roads, and houses to ensure reliable and accessible transport and good living conditions for the residents. It is also responsible for maintaining and keeping the roads and houses in good condition. The department is under four directorates who work together but each with distinct functions. They include Roads, Public works, Housing, and Transport. The department has so far constructed a tarmac road passing through the Marsabit town and thus upgrading it to a municipal road. the department is also working toward the construction of a six meters carriageway with two meters wide footpaths on both sides The development committee in charge of construction is committed to making sure that all the construction projects are proceeding as per the plan.

The Department of Agriculture Livestock, and Fisheries.

The agricultural sector in Marsabit county does not thieve due to the climatic factors experienced in the area. The region experiences a hot and dry climate thus not favoring agricultural activities. However, through the help of the department of agriculture livestock and fisheries, people have tried to practice crop farming through irrigation schemes such as the Kalacha irrigation scheme. During the rainy seasons the residents around Mt. Marsabit and in the Moyale sub-county practice crop farming. The main crops grown in the area include fruits, vegetables, cereals, and miraa. The department has been working with the farmers and providing them with the necessary farm equipment. The people in the region have been practicing livestock keeping as the main economic activity. The y have mainly kept the following type of livestock cattle, goats, sheep, camels, donkeys, and chicken. Also through the help of the department, they engage in beekeeping where they currently have 5,890 beehives in the entire county. Through livestock keeping the county has been beneficial to other counties by supplying them with livestock products especially, meat, mutton, and camel meat. The department has been at the forefront of helping the livestock keepers in getting the market for their products.

The Department of Water, Environment, Irrigation, and Natural Resources.

Considering that Marsabit county experiences a hot and dry climate, irrigation schemes are necessary for the region. However, the county has only invested in one irrigation scheme but anticipating investing in more. Natural resources and wildlife in Marsabit county have acted as an attraction to tourists thus playing a role in economic development. Marsabit county is considered the cradle of mankind thus having an archaeological site at Koobi Fora. Lake Paradise- Crater Lake inside Marsabit National park, and Mt. Marsabit forest are other natural resources attracting tourism in the county. the department with the help of the residents and county government works diligently in preserving the natural resources. This includes preventing poaching of the wild animals present in the forest and cutting down trees. Marsabit county residents highly depend on groundwater as the region is dry and it is difficult to get permanent rivers. The availability of water in this county is low and the residents have no secured source. The government has however constructed dams in the county including Bakuli and Badassa/Songa Dam for water catchment purposes. The department has formulated and implemented policies protecting natural resources from human destruction.

Health and Sanitation.

The department is in charge of the residents’ healthcare services by ensuring that they have access to affordable medical services and a live-in a conducive environment in terms of cleanness. The department is divided into Medical Services, Public Health, and Sanitation, Research and Development on Health sections. The department has achieved a lot including the construction of over 26 maternity units and five more new healthcare centers and dispensaries. It has also constructed two specialized health facilities to enable the people to get services within the county. it has also started a project to equip the Marsabit hospital and elevate it to the referral level. The department has facilitated in construction of a laboratory that will be equipped with modern laboratory equipment. The residents however have a challenge of walking for long distances to access health facilities. This is due to their sparse population which does not favor the government to establish the facilities all over. The sanitation section has provided the residents in urban areas have enough latrines and flush toilets. The department also has facilitated the waste and garbage disposal thus ensuring a clean environment.

The Department of Infrastructure, Lands, Urban Development, and Energy

The department works in collaboration with the national government and the community to facilitate their projects before carrying on any activity. It helps in solving land issues construction of roads, installation of communication network, and lighting. Through the department, there has been the facilitation of the construction of roads in the county, and installation of light mostly in urban centers. Being an interior county most of the residents depend on wood fuel for both cooking and lighting. Most of the land in Marsabit county is preserved for grazing considering that livestock farming is one of their major economic activities. The department however faces a challenge with land issues having not formulated policies that govern the distribution and division of land. Most of the residents are in the informal types of settlement and this has posed a big challenge when it comes to infrastructure.

Department of Trade, Investment, Industry, & Co-operatives

Marsabit county is involved in trade affairs and has also established the meat processing industry. Trade activities mostly occur across the neighboring counties and across the border with Ethiopia. The department has invested in supporting small and medium enterprises in the economy to enable the growth of the economic competitiveness in the market. The department is also planning o start up a fish industry in Loiyangalani. There are two main established jua kali industries in the county to enhance the business of the people in the industry. The department is also planning to partner with EPZA which is a national parastatal and build up an industrial processing zone at Moyale.

Department of Finance & Economic Planning

The department comprises of Finance and Accounting; Economic Planning, Budgeting, Monitoring and Evaluation; Internal Audit; Revenue; and Procurement
sections. The department has set up strategies to improve the Economic growth of the county. The department ensures that all other department carries out their projects by allocating them with finances to handle priorities. It also oversees how the other departments utilize the finances allocated to them. The department has enabled revenue collection in the county thus increasing economic growth. All the successful projects requiring financial support has been possible through the Department of Finance & Economic Planning

Last Update: November 10, 2021
November 5, 2021 756 DEBORAHMarsabit County
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