Elders back Aljazeera journalist for Wajir South parliamentary seat

Aljazeera journalist Mohamed Adow was on Thursday endorsed for the Wajir South parliamentary seat by area elders.

Chair of Makhabul National Council Ambassador Mohamed Saleh said the elders settled on Adow after putting into consideration several things among them community Service, experience, educational background as well sub-clan dynamics.

The elders spoke in Lagdima in Habaswein town, Wajir County.

“The process was a transparent, free and fair exercise which at the end of the day saw us pick  Adow as our candidate,” he said.

The journalist beat two others who were also seeking elders' favour.

 "As a community, we will give him all the necessary support and rally our people to make sure that he clinches the seat,” Saleh, a former Northeastern Regional commissioner, added.

Wajir South is inhabited by the Ogaden that is made up of four sub-clans namely  Mohamed Zubeir, Makhabul  Bah Geri and Geri.

Adow thanked the elders for their trust in him promising to do his best to clinch the seat and subsequently take the development of the constituency to new levels.

“I accept this endorsement with a full and grateful heart with only one obligation; that is providing good leadership to our community and to the people of Wajir south,” Adow said.

Earlier on, before the special convention of the elders, Adow met with the elders, women and youths from the area and affirmed that he was ready to work with local leaders in enhancing area development.

“This continuous engagement with the people at the grassroots levels is prerequisite in setting development agenda. We have agreed that vested interests should not supersede communal interests,” he stated.

According to Aljazeera, Adow, is a journalist with a wealth of experience, having worked for an international media house, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), before joining them in 2006.

He is currently based in Doha, Qatar, and works as a correspondent in three continents, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe.

He holds a master’s degree in Media, Communications and Public Relations from the University of Leicester.

Before joining Aljazeera English in 2006, Mohammed worked with the BBC World Service for 10 years

Mohammed Adow now joins a stream of other candidates expected to contest for the same seat including the current MP Dr Mohamud Oomar who is seeking re-election as well former MP and Senator Abdirahman Olow

Former MP Mohamud Sirat is also in the race as well as Abdirashid Yussuf.

-Edited by B. Marita