By Ahmed Salat Ali Aaran Tv Ke Wajir, Kenya — The Pastoralists Rights and Advocacy Network (PARANET), in partnership with Media Citizen Fronts, has convened a high-level dialogue with journalists in Wajir County to interrogate the entrenched practice of negotiated democracy and its impact on governance, accountability and development in Northern Kenya. The engagement, held at Heritage Hotel in Wajir Town, brought together more than 20 journalists drawn from mainstream media houses, digital platforms and freelance practice. The forum focused on the role of the media in safeguarding democratic principles amid growing concerns over the dominance of clan-based political arrangements in the region. A Norm Under Scrutiny In much of the North Eastern region, negotiated democracy — a system where clan elders broker political positions before elections — has become a customary pathway to leadership selection. While its proponents argue that it fosters unity and minimizes conflict, c...
By Ahmed Salat Ali AARAN TV KE Residents of Qara open a tap at a safe distance as a thirsty hyena drinks within the health centre compound at night in Wajir West. Residents of Qara in Wajir West were met with an unusual sight this week when a visibly weak hyena wandered into the compound of Qara Health Centre at night in search of water. The animal, believed to have strayed from nearby grazing fields, appeared exhausted and dehydrated as it moved around the facility under the cover of darkness. Witnesses said it posed no immediate threat but seemed driven purely by thirst as the region continues to grapple with a prolonged drought. “We were shocked to see a hyena within the health centre compound at night,” said one resident. “But when we looked at it closely, it was clear the animal was only looking for water. It was weak and restless.” North Eastern Kenya has been experiencing severe dry conditions, with water sources drying up and pasture diminishing rapidly. The worsenin...