
19/04/2025
Garissa’s Governor Jets to Coventry on Taxpayer’s Dime—Returns with Empty Promises
While Garissa County grapples with chronic water shortages, impassable roads, and a healthcare system in crisis, its governor has added another chapter to his playbook of wasteful extravagance: a first-class trip to Coventry, UK, to discuss “refugee collaboration” with the city’s mayor. The trip, funded by public money, yielded no tangible benefits for Garissa’s residents—only outrage over misplaced priorities and a blatant disregard for accountability.
# # # **Lavish Travel, Zero Results**
The governor and his delegation reportedly flew first-class to Coventry, a city with no clear connection to Garissa’s pressing needs. The meeting’s agenda—refugee partnerships—raised eyebrows, given that Garissa’s most urgent crises (drought, infrastructure collapse, and unemployment) were conspicuously absent from the discussion. Critics argue the trip was little more than a vanity project, designed to burnish the governor’s international image while ignoring his constituents.
“Why fly to Europe to talk about refugees when our own people are suffering here?” asked Dekow Ali, a Garissa-based activist. “We need water, not workshops. Our governor treats public funds like his personal travel budget.”
# # # **A Pattern of Neglect**
This trip follows a well-established trend. The governor has repeatedly prioritized globe-trotting over governance, chasing photo-ops with foreign dignitaries while:
- **Ghost workers** drain county payrolls.
- **Stalled projects** like the Garissa-Modogashe road languish for years.
- **Communities like Suq-mugdi** endure threats instead of support.
The cost of the Coventry jaunt—estimated at millions of shillings for flights, accommodation, and per diems—could have drilled three boreholes or repaired kilometers of dilapidated roads. Instead, Garissa’s people received vague promises of “future collaboration.”
# # # **Coventry’s Gain, Garissa’s Pain**
The governor’s defenders claim such trips “build partnerships.” But Garissa residents are left wondering: Why seek foreign aid for refugee programs when the county’s own development funds remain unaccounted for? Auditor-General reports have repeatedly flagged mismanagement of billions allocated for water, health, and infrastructure—yet no audits track the returns on these overseas excursions.
“My children walk 10 kilometers to school because buses can’t navigate our ruined roads,” said Halima Abdi, a mother in Garissa Township. “Meanwhile, our leader is sipping tea in Coventry. Shame!”
# # # **Demands for Accountability**
Residents are demanding:
1. **Full disclosure** of trip costs and outcomes.
2. **Repayment** of public funds used for non-essential travel.
3. **Prioritization** of local projects over globetrotting.
4. **Resignation** if the governor cannot articulate a coherent development strategy.
# # # **Conclusion: Leadership Begins at Home**
True collaboration starts with listening to one’s own people. Garissa’s governor cannot claim to advocate for refugees abroad while failing Garissa’s citizens at home. If he wishes to emulate Coventry’s governance, he should start by relocating his office—from his Nairobi mansion to Garissa’s dusty streets, where the real work awaits.
Until then, these trips are not diplomacy. They’re dereliction of duty.
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*This article reflects widespread frustration among Garissa residents and aligns with audit reports highlighting misuse of county funds. Share your voice: Should leaders be banned from non-essential foreign travel until local crises are resolved?*
*Note: The allegations are based on public expenditure records and grassroots accounts. We urge Garissa County to publish a detailed cost-benefit analysis of the Coventry trip.*
By: Vituko Za Garissa team