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Northern Kenya is a region rich in resources, cultural diversity, and strategic trade potential, yet it remains underutilized in the national development agenda.
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Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei has drawn a clear line in the sand: no scrapping of hardship allowances—not for teachers, and certainly not for any civil servant. Addressing the Senate with conviction, Cherargei warned against what he described as a “misguided and dangerous” plan by government officials to eliminate hardship allowances under the pretext of cost-cutting.
His voice echoed the frustrations of professionals stationed in Kenya's most remote and underserved regions, where service delivery is already strained and staff retention remains a major hurdle.
Cherargei’s position stems from a concern that government employees, particularly those working in hardship zones such as Garissa, Todonyang, Banisa, and Namanga, need more—not fewer—financial incentives. He argued that these professionals sacrifice personal comfort and safety to serve areas often isolated from the country's infrastructure, making the hardship allowance an essential—not optional—benefit.
“It is not a luxury. It is a necessity,” the senator stated plainly. “You can’t expect teachers, doctors, or police officers to work in areas plagued by insecurity, poor roads, and extreme weather without adequate compensation.”
Cherargei didn’t stop at defending existing hardship areas. He called for an expansion of the officially recognised zones, saying the list—currently standing at 44—fails to capture many deserving regions. In Nandi County alone, he listed seven new areas—Terek, Chepterwa, Kapchorwa, Sopa, Songo, Chemelit, and Chemase—that face conditions no better than those already designated.
These areas, he argued, should be urgently added to the hardship zone list, both to attract qualified professionals and to improve service delivery. He emphasized that the removal of hardship allowances would directly undermine the government’s own development goals.
The senator also raised a legal red flag, citing Legal Notices No. 534 of 1998 and No. 196 of 2015, both of which give formal recognition to hardship areas. Eliminating or reducing these allowances, he warned, could breach existing legal frameworks and trigger widespread unrest among civil servants.
He further tied the issue to the broader conversation about equity, noting that the Equalisation Fund had allocated Ksh16.8 billion to underdeveloped counties in the 2025 financial year. According to him, pouring money into infrastructure in hardship regions without motivating human personnel to run the services is a failed strategy.
“You can’t build schools and hospitals if no one is willing to teach or treat patients in them. Human resources are as crucial as bricks and mortar,” Cherargei explained.
In his concluding remarks, Cherargei urged unions like KNUT and KUPPET to reject any proposal aimed at removing or freezing hardship allowances. He advised them to remain actively engaged in CBA negotiations to defend the rights and dignity of educators and other public servants.
He also challenged the Finance and Budget Committee to take a second look at the parameters used to designate hardship zones, demanding a more data-driven and inclusive approach.
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