Wajir residents marked this year’s Madaraka Day celebrations with a rare cultural honour for President William Ruto, presenting him with 100 camels as a traditional gesture of appreciation during the 63rd national commemorations held on Monday, June 1.
The symbolic gift, announced by Governor Ahmed Abdullahi on behalf of the community, was described as the highest form of respect within local tradition, typically reserved for leaders regarded with deep honour. The governor said the gesture reflected the community’s gratitude for development efforts in the region.
“On behalf of the people of Wajir, we say thank you. When you honour some of our culture, the highest honour is given to kings. The community contributes 100 camels. The elders of Wajir have said that you are our king, and they will give you 100 camels to be delivered by them at a place of your choice. You are our sultan,” said Abdullahi.
The 63rd Madaraka Day celebrations were held at the newly upgraded Wajir Stadium, which hosted a national event for the first time in history. The choice of Wajir as the venue was widely viewed as a strong symbol of national integration and the government’s push to bring historically marginalised regions into the centre of national development.
This year’s celebrations were held under the theme “Education, Skills, and the Future,” with a focus on strengthening learning systems, expanding technical training and equipping young people with practical skills to support economic transformation.
In his address, President Ruto explaine his government’s commitment to expanding access to education, pointing to ongoing reforms in teacher recruitment and school infrastructure development across the country. He also reiterated that no region would be left behind in national progress, stressing that geographical location should not determine access to opportunity.
