Wajir MPs declare onslaught against Governor

Aden Keynan, Member of Parliament for Eldas, Wajir County gestures
at the press briefing on the Wajir County’s political status at a Nairobi hotel
PHOTO: ELVIS OGINA/STANDARD

Wajir MPs have declared an onslaught against Governor Ahmed Abdullahi, vowing to send him home come August 8. The elected leaders accused Mr Abdullahi of high-handedness in the running of the county, and announced they will soon unveil an “inclusive line-up” for the county. MPs Mohamed Elmi (Tarbaj), Adan Keynan (Eldas), Abass Mohamed (Wajir East) and Halima Abdille (Woman Rep), Deputy Governor Abdihafid Yarrow and Speaker Bishar Omar said the incumbent had failed to engage the county’s leadership thus does not deserve a second term. “Today we officially withdraw our support for the incumbent Governor Ahmed Abdullahi for failing to uphold the aspirations of the people of Wajir,” said Mr Keynan. MP Elmi cited failure to address the ongoing drought in the county as some of the reasons they feel the county boss should be send home by the electorate. “The incumbent governor has failed to implement adequate drought mitigation programmes. He has also failed to build a cohesive and integrated society by engaging in selective and discriminatory development,” said Elmi. ALSO READ: Make service delivery agenda for Kenya’s 2017 election Mr Yerroh said the governor had allocated himself all the roles in the county government, rendering other county officials spectators in the running of the county. The deputy government said the county governor had failed to engage him in the last six months. Although they said they will announce their preferred candidates for various seats in a few weeks, the MPs in a previous rally in Wajir had declared their support to former Kenyan ambassador to Saudi Arabia Mohamed Abdi Mohamud for the county top seat. Mr Mohamud was the only gubernatorial aspirant at the press briefing held at a Nairobi hotel Saturday. The leaders, however, failed to announce whether they will lead the community to Jubilee or the Opposition NASA, saying their main agenda was to unite the community first. Ambassador Mohamud is seeking Jubilee Party ticket. Governor Abdullahi, MPs Elmi, Keynan and Ms Abdille are all ODM leaders, while Mohamed is in Jubilee. This latest declaration is set to fire up clan politics in the county after Degodia majority clan formed two camps and held parallel campaign rallies in the recent past. ALSO READ: Slow start in firming up NASA election pact In 2013 General Election, Abdullahi won with over 42,000 votes against Ambassador Abdi’s 35,000. In 2017, the dynamics of the gubernatorial race and local politics appear to have gone full cycle with key politicians from the Fai, Jibrail and Masare sub-clans of the Degodia abandoning the incumbent. The incumbent has in the past accused the MPs of causing divisions and alleged further that the three MPs have sabotaged his administration since its inception in 2013. The governor vowed to remain focussed on service delivery and said he will triumph. Wajir County is mainly inhibited by the majority Degodia clan together with Ajuran and Ogaden communities. Other aspirants are former Umma University dean and author Dr Salah Abdi Sheikh on Third Alliance Party of Kenya and Ahmed Muhumed who has not yet declared the party to vie for. Mr Muhumed has been endorsed by his Ogaden Community for the top seat.

Source:standardmedia/Kenya