Wajir governor aspirant Sheikh Mohamed denies dropping out

Wajir governor aspirant Ugas Sheikh Mohamed has dismissed social media claims that he had quit the race to vie for Tarbaj MP.

Sheikh Mohamed spoke on Monday while addressing his supporters in Wajir town.

Social media and several WhatsApp groups have in the past few days been awash with reports of his ‘quitting'.

The aspirant said the rumours were being spread by his detractors.

"I urge you to disregard the false and fabricated reports on social media with the contempt it deserves. While it's the prerogative right for one to vie for any position, I have no intention of vying for Tarbaj MP,” he said.

Sheikh Mohamed, together with the proprietor of Nairobi East hospital Dr Hassan Mohamed, were dropped by the Fai sultanate on November last year.

Hassan Wehliye was instead picked as the community's flagbearer.

However in protest the two, Sheikh- Mohamed and Dr Mohamed defied the sultanate’s choice and said they will take their campaigns to the ballot. 

The aspirants said the process was not free and fair.

Sheikh- Mohamed later said that he did not participate in the exercise which he described as ‘sham, premeditated and predetermined process’.

He however said that his eyes were solely focused on clinching the governorship seat adding that he will not let his supporters down.

“I would like to make it crystal clear to the good people of Wajir that I'll be on the ballot seeking the county's top job, the gubernatorial position.

"To naysayers we're determined more than ever, we'll go the whole hog. To our supporters, we have a date with destiny,” the aspirant said.

Sheikh- Mohamed said despite the billions being placed at the county’s disposal since the advent of devolution, not much has been achieved.

He said the situation was as a result of corruption.

The aspirant said if elected, he will focus are water and sanitation, livestock products value addition, agriculture and health.

"My leadership will deliver. It will be a fair, firm people-centered government that is  technology-driven with zero tolerance to corruption and malfeasance," he said.

He added that much more will be detailed in his manifesto which will be launched soon. 

Others in the race are Senator Abdullahi Ali, the first governor of Wajir Ahmed Abdullahi and incumbent Ahmed Mukhtar, who succeeded his former boss Mohamed Abdi after his impeachment last year.

(Edited by Bilha Makokha)