Wajir Town in speedy growth thanks to demand for housing, social amenities

The Wajir County headquarters under construction. PHOTO| DAVID MUCHUI

What you need to know:

  • Mr Abdullahi said the mechanisation of concrete and ballast production has seen the cost per lorryfull drop  from Sh6,000 to Sh2,000.
  • The Wajir County government is currently putting up its headquarters at a cost of about Sh160 million, as well as an abattoir and county assembly chambers and offices at a cost of  Sh130 million. 
  • Mr Abdullahi noted that the increasing number residential and commercial buildings is too much for the town’s  diesel-powered generators.

Wajir Town, the headquarters of Wajir County, is experiencing a construction boom, with investors putting up residential and commercial buildings. 

The boom is partly attributable to the county government’s decision to  provide office space and other amenities. 

However, it is the completion of the town’s first 28 kilometre tarmac road by the county government that has attracted to the  dusty town.

Speaking to DN2 in his office, Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi said the county had spent Sh1.6 billion tarmacking the town’s roads. 

The county government has also installed 20 floodlights and more than 300 solar-powered street lights to boost security.

 In addition, private investors and the county government have set up ballast crushing plants to sustain the growing construction sector. Further, the county has also set  up four alternative building technologies (ABT) centres to produce interlocking bricks.

Mr Abdullahi said the mechanisation of concrete and ballast production has seen the cost per lorryfull drop  from Sh6,000 to Sh2,000.

The Wajir County government is currently putting up its headquarters at a cost of about Sh160 million, as well as an abattoir and county assembly chambers and offices at a cost of  Sh130 million. 

Mr Abdullahi noted that the increasing number residential and commercial buildings is too much for the town’s  diesel-powered generators.

 “Wajir town has grown by up to 30 per cent in the last three years. The power consumption has gone up, calling for the county’s connection to the national grid,” he said. 

Wajir county executive for lands, housing, physical planning and public works Abdiaziz Abdullahi said  the value of land had shot up, with plots that previously sold for Sh500,000 now going for up  to Sh2 million.

He said the increase in the value of land has been occasioned by the infrastructural development, and increased number of locals ready to invest in Wajir. 

He said the town had  also seen an increase in the number of contractors, hardware shops and skilled construction workers.

“We have completed surveying the more than 13,000 plots in Wajir Town. We expect to issue allotment letters to the owners this year,” he said. 

“Before devolution, we had only two storied buildings in Wajir Town. Today, we have new buildings coming up, with some up to five storeys,” he gushed, adding that the  National Construction Authority recently set up an office in  the town due to increased Wajir due to increased development.