Wajir ( so, Wajeer) is the capital of the Wajir County of

Kenya ) , national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

. It is situated in the former North Eastern Province.

History

A cluster of

cairn A cairn is a man-made pile (or stack) of stones raised for a purpose, usually as a marker or as a burial mound. The word ''cairn'' comes from the gd, càrn (plural ). Cairns have been and are used for a broad variety of purposes. In prehi ...

s near Wajir are generally ascribed by the local inhabitants to the Maadiinle, a semi-legendary people of high stature, who are associated with the

Somali Somali may refer to: Horn of Africa * Somalis, an inhabitant or ethnicity associated with Greater Somali Region ** Proto-Somali, the ancestors of modern Somalis ** Somali culture ** Somali cuisine ** Somali language, a Cushitic language ** Somali ...

. A. T. Curle (1933) reported the excavation of two of these large tumuli, finding traces of skeletal remains which crumbled at his touch, as well as

earthenware Earthenware is glazed or unglazed nonvitreous pottery that has normally been fired below . Basic earthenware, often called terracotta, absorbs liquids such as water. However, earthenware can be made impervious to liquids by coating it with a c ...

shards and a

copper Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (from la, cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pink ...

ring. I.M. Lewis
"132. The So-Called 'Galla Graves' of Northern Somaliland", ''Man''
61 (1961), p. 103. Lewis cites an earlier report by Curle, "Prehistoric graves in the Northern Frontier Province of Kenya Colony," ''Man'', 1933, p. 102; Wajir was attacked by Italian forces in World War II. The infamous Wagalla massacre is one of the greatest transitional justice issues in Kenya today committed by government in 1984 in the Wajir. The army rounded up Somali men of the Degodia clan from their homes in the wee hours of the morning of 10th February and held them up at the local airstrip for four days without water and food.The security men opened fire at them and their bullet-ridden bodies scattered across the airstrip and in its bushy environs.

Overview

Wajir is located in an arid area prone to drought. It sits at a latitude and longitude of . (Latitude:1.75000; Longitude:40.05000). The town is served by Wajir Airport, with flights to

Nairobi Nairobi ( ) is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The name is derived from the Maasai phrase ''Enkare Nairobi'', which translates to "place of cool waters", a reference to the Nairobi River which flows through the city. The city proper ...

Galkacyo Galkayo ( so, Gaalkacyo, ar, جالكعيو Dr Badal Kariye Ba Bsit Ma Mba & Phd, ''The Kaleidoscopic Lover: The Civil War in the Horn of Africa & My Itinerary for a Peaceful Lover'', (AuthorHouse: 2010), p.116.) which in Af- Somali translates t ...

and

Mogadishu Mogadishu (, also ; so, Muqdisho or ; ar, مقديشو ; it, Mogadiscio ), locally known as Xamar or Hamar, is the capital and List of cities in Somalia by population, most populous city of Somalia. The city has served as an important port ...

Demographics

Wajir is mainly inhabited by

s, The 2019 census reported a total population of 90,116 inhabitants.

Climate

Wajir has a

hot arid climate The desert climate or arid climate (in the Köppen climate classification ''BWh'' and ''BWk''), is a dry climate sub-type in which there is a severe excess of evaporation over precipitation. The typically bald, rocky, or sandy surfaces in desert ...

( Köppen ''BWh'').

Administrative divisions

Wajir is the capital of the Wajir County. The county is subdivided into 6 Constituency ( Wajir East Constituency, Wajir West Constituency, Wajir North Constituency, Wajir South Constituency, Tarbaj Constituency and Eldas Constituency. These constituencies are represented by Members of Parliament in the National Assembly. The county has a total of 30 wards.

References

External links

Location of Wajir
At

Google Maps Google Maps is a web mapping platform and consumer application offered by Google. It offers satellite imagery, aerial photography, street maps, 360° interactive panoramic views of streets (Street View), real-time traffic conditions, and rou ...

wajir county news website
{{Coord, 1.75000, N, 40.0500, E, display=title Populated places in Wajir County County capitals in Kenya