By Staff Reporter | Wajir Today | Saturday, 20 December 2025

The involvement of minority communities in civic activities, leadership, peace building and development of Wajir county remains fragmented.

The concerns were raised at a forum on Saturday organised by Wajir Community Radio in partnership with ForumCiv and funded by the Swedish Embassy.

Participants expressed dismay at the inadequate involvement and exclusion of minority communities in county development processes and public service appointments.

Citing disunity among their members that weakened their collective voice, the community has been sidelined in resource allocation.

Lack of political goodwill and entrenched marginalization has forced members of the community to remain isolated in the county’s economic and political resource sharing platforms.

The overwhelming majority of minority groups including indigenous Arabs and other Somali minority clans, often do not get employment opportunities at county level.

Economic alienation

They also face economic alienation, missing out in community empowerment programmes including the national government affirmative actions programmes.

Community members feel abandoned and forgotten as majority clans continue to consolidate power and resources, leaving a significant population of the county to survive on the edge.

“No one is concerned about minorities, and they have no resources,” said Mama Halima Barre, one of the participants.

During the sensitization forum, members have called for unity in order to address challenges facing their community.

“The biggest challenge we face is lack of unity among minority communities. Minority groups should open their eyes and ears and understand and think about how to get their rights,” said Mr. Dekow Farah.

The forum also provided an opportunity for the marginalized community to send a message of action to both the county and national government.

They are calling for both governments to address the longstanding discrimination in acquisition of their constitutional rights as citizens.

“I want to send a message to the County Government of Wajir that minority communities face injustices in the county. I am requesting the Governor to work on how minority groups can get their rights back in his remaining two-year period,” noted Mr. Farah.

Enlightened participants requested more frequent and sustained sensitization programmes on minority rights through radio discussions, community forums, and other outreach activities.

They have called for capacity-building initiatives to enable minorities to effectively advocate for inclusion and representation at both national and county levels.

“We are happy about the sensitization today organized by Wajir Community Radio. We learnt a lot as minority community and we have known our rights,” said Ms. Habiba Shariff, a participant.

Xilkena programme

The session was a component of Wajir Community Radio’s Xilkena Programme aimed at empowering minority and pastoralist communities by increasing awareness of their constitutional rights and encouraging active participation in social, civic, and development processes.

The radio and its project partners seek to sensitize minority communities and educate local residents on equality and freedom from discrimination.

Discussions encourage unity and collective action among minority groups in order to promote their active participation in county affairs.

According to Station Manager Ms. Halima Kahiye, the Xilkena programme provided a platform for minority and pastoralist communities in Wajir County to learn about their rights and voice their concerns.

Aired on radio and supported by outreach community engagement through public forums, the programme has stimulated renewed public engagement in civic discourse.

Seeking to advance public participation in governance and administration, Xilkena has become an important platform to educate local communities.

“The session highlighted the urgent need for continued engagement, unity, and empowerment of minority groups to ensure inclusive development and equitable participation in county governance,” Ms. Kahiye says.

Since inception two years ago, the programme empowered communities to speak out, demand accountability and champion human rights.