Governor sues over use of census results

Mandera County Governor Ali Roba. FILE PHOTO | NMG 

By SAM KIPLAGAT
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Mandera County residents have moved to court seeking to stop the national government from using
the county’s recently released population census in revenue allocation.

Further, the Governor Ali Roba wants the court to stop the national government from using the county’s population census in the formulation of policies, reports and making any recommendations, pending the determination of the case.

Mr Roba also wants the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) stopped from using the 2019 numbers, in the delimitation of the boundaries.

According to Mr Roba and the county government, the population of Mandera was 1,025,756 10 years ago. He said despite improved standards of health and medical facilities, higher birth rate and lower infant and child mortality rate, the figure had reduced to 867,457.

He said there was no reason for the huge drop and that they believe the numbers have been deliberately suppressed.

According to the county, the population of Mandera should be at 1.7 million people, but the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) allegedly reduced it by 905,291.

The county claims the significant decline in population in Mandera during the 2019 census report cannot be reconciled with the demographic trends and surveys undertaken in the last 10 years.

They have named Treasury, Commission on Revenue Allocation and IEBC and the Attorney General as respondents in the case.