Fifty one years after Kenya attained her independence, the inequality gap is widening at an alarming rate. These inequality is manifested in various facets which including income inequality, gender inequality and even regional inequality. This article reflects on the arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs), an analysis of the country’s regional inequality.

The ASALs cover a very wide geographical area cutting across Turkana County through West Pokot County, Baringo, Isiolo, Marsabit, Samburu, Wajir, Mandera, Garissa, Tana River and parts of Kitui and Taita Taveta Counties. All these counties face the same or similar challenges

A distinct geographical map, aggregating all these counties can be curved out from the map of Kenya.

Immediately after independence, the Jomo Kenyatta administration was faced with the secession challenge in the Northern Frontier region. The secession was propagated by Somalis seeking to reunite with Somalia. A consequential effect was the Shifta War that began in 1963 and eventually suppressed in 1967.

The Kenyatta and Moi administrations hardly initiated tangible efforts that would lead to the socio-economic transformation of the Northern Frontier region. Perhaps they were probably meting out some form of punishment to the daring secessionists.

There is no doubt that the region is backward in terms of infrastructural development. For instance, it was until 2014 that the first ever tarmac road was constructed in Mandera County.

Notably so, the ASALs face a number of challenges such as:

· Insecurity incidences such as banditry.

· Inadequate health facilities.

· Poor and dilapidated infrastructure.

· Very low levels and rates of school attendance.

· High incidences of hunger and famine.

Sessional Paper Number 10 of 1965, African Socialism and Its Application to Planning in Kenya, envisioned an equal Kenyan society irrespective of ethnic or regional orientation.

The Moi and Kenyatta regimes failed to promote holistic development and were instead driven by politics of greed.

Low population has played a significant role in the economic backwardness of the ASALs. The politics of numbers has not been favourable to the residents of such areas hence the neglect by politicians.

Therefore, reformation of the political institutions is imperative and devolution is a good example.

However, the national government should still take the lead in promoting regional balanced development initiatives.

In conclusion, the realization of the overall socio-economic growth and development for Kenya will remain a pipe-dream unless the challenges of the ASALs are fully addressed. Devolution should be the launch pad for addressing the challenges in the ASALs.