Garissa

With the fastest growing town in Kenya as its capital, Garissa County is moving forward by leaps and bounds. The sleepy town of yesteryear is now a thriving metropolis, albeit with a few livestock roaming around to remind us that we are still in the 254!

One of the most significant drivers of the economy is the animal market, a huge enterprise covering almost 15 acres. Imagine thousands of camels, goats, cattle moving around that are all part of the economic ecosystem that shapes county 007. Did you know that in just two years (between 005 and 2007) Garissa cattle producers earned over Ksh1.8 billion in sales? The market serves the whole region with livestock arriving from as far as Southern Sudan looking for the excellent prices n Garissa.

The heart of learning is the newly chartered Garissa University. The tertiary institution had its humble beginnings as the first post-secondary institution in the area in the 1990s. In 2011 it was gazetted as a constituent college of Moi University and the first students reported in 2013. Horrifically in 2015 Kenya’s second worst terrorist attack took place at the college and at least 147 students lost their lives. The people of Garissa rallied in support of all the affected students and by 2016 the campus was fully operational  again.

In October 2017 it received its own charter and is now a fully-fledged university with plans to provide satellite campuses in neighbouring areas of Wajir, Mandera, Isiolo, Moyale, and Dadaab. Speaking of Dadaab, did you know that the county of Garissa hosts almost 250,000 refugees at Dadaab making it the second largest refugee complex in the world? We may not have much, but as Kenyans we are known to be hospitable, and county 007 exemplifies this supremely.

Just outside Garissa Town is the Bour-Algi Giraffe Sanctuary, a community initiative that is a conservation home for the ever-graceful gerenuk (‘giraffe antelope’) and the reticulated giraffe. West of Garissa Town lies  Rahole National Reserve, which is looking for a new getaway spot, this is definitely one to consider. From here one can easily find their way to visit the many more sites including Boni National Reserve – the only place in Kenya you will find the Hirola antelope. Similar to the hartebeest, it’s an endangered species found only in north-east Kenya and south-west Somalia . And if you are wondering where to stay while in Garissa county, have no fear, there a number of plush four star hotels to choose from – you will be spoilt for choice in the 007!

Today’s featured photographer is Edgar Omondi, photographer and entrepreneur who runs ClickHouse, a company dedicated to using photography as a tool for documentation and storytelling. An urban spirit, Edgar undertook a project Around Kenya detailing life in rural Kenya to capture a different side from his own experience.