PRESS RELEASE : British High Commissioner pays first visit to Wajir County [August 2024]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 23 August 2024.

British High Commissioner Neil Wigan pays first visit to Wajir County to discuss partnership and the impact of UK programming in the county.

• British High Commission team visited Wajir County 22 and 23 August.
• British High Commissioner announced INSPIRED programme to ensure quality education for 100,000 children and met beneficiaries of innovative cash assistance programme.
• The British High Commissioner and Development Director held meetings with Wajir County Commissioner and Governor, Mandera County Governor and the Wajir Women Council.
• The team also visited Wajir County Police Station to better understand the impact of UK-funded gender desks in tackling VAWG.

British High Commissioner to Kenya, Neil Wigan, visited Wajir County on 22 and 23 August, accompanied by Development Director Leigh Stubblefield.

During the visit, the High Commissioner met Wajir County Governor Ahmed Abdullahi and County Commissioner Karuku Ngumo to discuss the UK-Wajir partnership and the impact of UK programming in the county, particularly in support of women and girls, regional peace and security and cash assistance to vulnerable communities.

On 23 August, the High Commissioner announced INSPIRED, our new flagship education programme. INSPIRED will provide quality education for 100,000 children in Wajir and Mandera Counties over the next three years, ensuring Kenya’s future generations can reach their full potential. He discussed details of this new and impactful programme with Wajir and Mandera County Governors.

The High Commissioner also spent time at Wajir County Central Police Station, hearing about the impact of UK-funded gender desks at Wajir Central, Giriftu, Habaswein and Bute police stations, which are helping prevent and handle cases of violence against women and girls in the County. Delivered through the UK’s REINVENT programme, gender desks offer a safe space for victims of sexual and gender-based violence to speak to specially trained officers, which has helped increase reporting rates by 57%.

UK funding through REINVENT previously helped establish the Wajir Women Council. At a dinner with the Council, the High Commissioner heard how the forum had ensured women’s voices were heard at the political and leadership level in the county, how it had helped transform how cases of violence against women and girls are handled, and its role in peacebuilding.

With partners in the Boma Consortium, the team met beneficiaries of the UK-Government of Kenya cash transfer programme, provided under the Hunger Safety Net Programme. Residents of Wajir town explained how cash grants had helped them set up businesses and even a community level loan scheme, enabling them to support their families and establish a regular income.

Local partners in the UK-funded Borderlands programme set out to the High Commissioner how projects are helping provide education and skills development to women entrepreneurs, as well as contributing to women’s participation and trust-building initiatives in support of peace.

British High Commissioner Neil Wigan said of his visit:

Travelling outside of the capital, I am always struck by the strength of the UK’s partnership with Kenya’s counties and their residents.

In Wajir, UK support is helping tackle violence against women and girls, increase access to education and improve security and stability. I’m proud of our partnership with the county – we’re going far, together.

The UK-Kenya partnership is delivering real impact for Kenyans across the country, whether improving economic growth, local governance and stability, access to education and healthcare, empowering women and girls, or working together to ensure regional peace and security.