Wajir County has one of the most extensive administrative networks in Kenya, reflecting both its strategic importance and the realities of governing a vast, sparsely populated region. The county is composed of 15 sub-counties, 35 divisions, 228 locations, and 264 sub-locations, making it one of the largest administrative spreads nationally.
This expansive structure points to a deliberate state presence strategy in North Eastern Kenya. It underscores the Government’s focus on security and border management, while also responding to the need for decentralized service delivery across difficult and widely dispersed terrain.
In North Eastern, chiefs and assistant chiefs remain the most visible and effective instruments of state presence. The high number of locations, sub-locations, and divisions reflects the critical functions performed by NGAO structures, including early warning and response systems, community intelligence gathering, conflict mediation, disaster coordination, and counter radicalization
efforts.