Hotels, restaurants, traders and transport operators in Garissa Town are recording increased business following the arrival of delegates for the fourth Devolution Sensitisation Week.
The national event, being held at the Young Muslim Junior School Grounds, has attracted participants from across the country, creating fresh demand for accommodation, meals, transport, supplies and other services.
Speaking during the official opening ceremony, Garissa Governor Nathif Jama described the event as a major economic boost for local enterprises and a strong vote of confidence in the county’s capacity to host high-level national gatherings.
He said the increased number of visitors had generated immediate opportunities for hotels, restaurants, transport operators, traders, suppliers and other service providers, with the benefits already being felt across the local economy.
According to the Governor, hosting the Council of Governors-backed event is particularly significant because Garissa is the first county in the arid and semi-arid lands region to host a national forum of this scale.
He said the decision to hold the event in Garissa demonstrated growing confidence in the county’s security, infrastructure and hospitality sector.
“Many people arrive in Garissa with perceptions formed from a distance, but once they get here, they see a different reality, a peaceful, welcoming and rapidly developing town with enormous potential for investment and growth,” Governor Nathif said.
The Governor noted that hosting Devolution Week would also help change perceptions about Garissa and expose visitors to the county’s economic potential. He said delegates attending the forum were experiencing the town’s hospitality, improving its profile as an emerging destination for conferences, tourism and investment.
Garissa has hosted several major conferences, educational events and competitions over the past year. These include the National Early Childhood Development Conference, the National Science Congress finals for junior and senior schools, and the National Music Festivals finals for schools and colleges at NEP Girls High School.
Governor Nathif said the successful hosting of these events had demonstrated the county’s ability to accommodate large numbers of visitors and coordinate national programmes.
Beyond the immediate gains for local businesses, the Devolution Sensitisation Week is expected to market Garissa to investors seeking opportunities in trade, housing, hospitality, transport, agriculture, livestock production, water development and urban infrastructure.
The Governor said Garissa’s strategic position, expanding urban population and importance as a commercial centre in northeastern Kenya offered considerable opportunities for investors.
He added that the County Government was implementing investments in roads, water, healthcare and urban infrastructure as part of a broader strategy to position Garissa as a competitive regional growth hub.
The investments, he said, are expected to support business expansion, attract private capital, create employment and improve access to essential services for residents.
Following the successful hosting of Devolution Week, the County Government now plans to bid for the larger Devolution Conference next year.
The annual conference brings together representatives from all 47 counties, national government institutions, development partners, private-sector organisations and thousands of delegates from across Kenya.
Governor Nathif said the county administration would work closely with national leaders from Garissa and other stakeholders to develop a strong bid and ensure the county was prepared to host the event successfully.
“Hosting Devolution Week is not the destination; it is a stepping stone. We want Garissa to become a recognised national conference and investment destination, and we are ready to work with all stakeholders to make that vision a reality,” he said.
If successful, the bid could deliver an even greater economic boost to Garissa by increasing demand for accommodation, transport, catering, retail products, conference services and locally produced goods.
The Devolution Sensitisation Week is therefore emerging as more than a platform for discussing devolved governance. For Garissa, it is an opportunity to stimulate local business, promote investment and present the county as a peaceful, welcoming and fast-growing destination capable of hosting major national events.