SPEECH BY HER EXCELLENCY MARGARET KENYATTA,

THE FIRST LADY OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA

DURING THE HANDING-OVER CEREMONY OF THE
33RD BEYOND ZERO MOBILE CLINIC TO MANDERA
COUNTY AT GENEVA SPORTSGROUND ON 6 TH
NOVEMBER 2015.

Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen:

I am delighted to be with you here today to hand-over the

33rd fully kitted Beyond Zero mobile clinic to the people
of Mandera County.

Mandera has one of the highest maternal mortality ratio of

3,795 deaths per 100,000 live births that surpasses the
Kenyas national average (448 deaths per 100,000 live
births).

However, the recent strides that continue to be taken by

the County Government to address these challenges
continue to report tremendous improvements.

Besides, through proper use and management of

this mobile clinic toMandera County, we look forward to
reducing the maternal mortality ratio by 75% in line with
the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)number threegood health and wellbeing.

It is my firm
achievable.

belief

that attaining

Beyond

Zero is

While I appreciate the richness of the culture of the

Mandera people, I do acknowledge the challenges they are
confronted with.

For many generations, most of the population of Mandera

has lived as pastoralists: who roam over vast areas in
search of pasture. But a succession of severe droughts is
taking their toll on this way of life, killing thousands of
livestock and leaving many dependent on food aid to
survive.

Amidst all these, the future of Mandera is very bright and

it can only get better. I thus urge the communities living
here to embrace crop farming on land irrigated by river
Dawa hence avoiding over reliance on the erratic rain
patterns for food security.

This will elevate Mandera County to a higher pedestal in

regional import-export market. Solar energy which is
easily available can also be harnessed to become a major
income earner.

Lets also take advantage of the current rainy season to

tap,
use
wisely
and
store
water
for tomorrows consumption.

Coupled with security challenges since the county

borders neighboring countries which experience sporadic
clashes, these have direct and negative impact on the
provision of quality health services to the citizens since
some health workers may opt to work in other regions as
they shun Mandera as a whole.

The risk of our youths becoming radicalized into

extremism is a legitimate and significant concern to
every peace-loving citizen. We must thus work to defeat
terror through development, resolving inequity, ensuring
basic services and human rights for all.
War should belong to the tragic past, to history. It should
find no place on humanitys agenda for the future.

This is why I laud the United Nations Development

Programmes initiative to train 30 youth entrepreneurs as
part of women and youth empowerment and peace
building activities with the County.

Let me also say I am honoured to launch the First Ladys

Peace Trophyinvolving 16 football teams as part
of championing sports for peace tournament in Mandera
County. May the best team win.

While the incidents that happened in Mandera are

heartbreaking to say the least, we must win this battle,
and it can only be done by intensifying efforts to
guarantee security in the region; to escalate access to
health care and education; to build and improve
infrastructure.

Women and children in Mandera are vulnerable to

sociocultural inequities that exclude them from political
representation, legal protection, educational opportunities,
and reproductive choice.

I therefore plead with the local leadership, community and

religious groups to join hands in tackling these
archaic practices such as Female Genital Mutilation, under
age marriages and denying the girl child right to
education so as to unlock the communities full potential.

In this regard, allow me to commend your Governor Ali

Roba and
his
spouse
Mrs.
Hodan
Ibrahim
for continuously championing and
implementing specific programmes to
improve
the
situation for women and girls in Mandera. Congratulations!
As part of these efforts, I note that the Mandera County
Referral Hospital has been refurbished from its formerly
dilapidated state. It has emerged from the ashes into a
very good hospital facility.
Finally, please join me now in officially handing-over the
33rd fully kitted Beyond Zero mobile clinic donated by the
Beyond Zero campaign to your Governor Ali Roba on
behalf of the people of Mandera County.

Asanteni sana.