North-eastern24 June 2026 - 06:16

Former Fafi rallies support for Ruto, differs with successor

Osman says the removal of the vetting requirement had ended years of discrimination and hardship

by STEPHEN ASTARIKO

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Former Fafi MP Abdikarim Osman has urged residents of Fafi constituency and the wider Northeastern region to support President William Ruto’s re-election bid.

He cited what he described as major development gains and policy reforms delivered by the Kenya Kwanza administration.

Osman, who spoke during a meeting in Abaqdera, praised Ruto for initiating projects and interventions he said had transformed the region and improved the lives of residents.

Among the achievements he highlighted were the construction of the Wajir Stadium, the Garissa-Tana River bridge, the reopening of the passport office in Garissa and the abolition of the vetting process for national identity card applications.

Osman said the removal of the vetting requirement had ended years of discrimination and hardship faced by residents seeking identification documents.

“As a member of Parliament, I witnessed firsthand the difficulties our people faced when applying for national identity cards," he said.

"Many were subjected to unnecessary vetting and discrimination and some even had to pay money to obtain IDs. Today, the process is free and straightforward. This is one of the changes that President William Ruto has delivered."

The former legislator also lauded the government's commitment to the Lapsset Corridor project, saying it would unlock economic opportunities and accelerate development across the region.

He said while the passport office was relocated to Nairobi during former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration, the current government had restored the service to Garissa, easing access for residents.

“Our people no longer have to travel to Nairobi to acquire passports. Recently, elders travelling for Hajj obtained their passports here in Garissa. That is a major milestone for our region,” he said.

Osman, who is seeking to reclaim the Fafi parliamentary seat in the next general election, argued President Ruto had demonstrated goodwill towards the region and deserved support for a second term.

He pointed to the decision to hold this year's Madaraka Day celebrations in Wajir county as further evidence of the President’s commitment to Northeastern.

The former MP also claimed Ruto had faced criticism and political attacks because of his support for Muslims and the Somali community, urging residents and the wider Muslim population to stand with him during the next election.

However, Osman’s remarks contrast sharply with those of the current Fafi MP Salah Yakub, who has repeatedly insisted the region's support for Ruto will depend on the government's fulfilment of promises made to residents.

Last month, while speaking at Nanighi in Bura East subcounty during the inauguration of assistant county commissioner Daniel Mutemi, Yakub said leaders from the region would only campaign for the President’s re-election after tangible development commitments had been delivered.

The UDA legislator expressed concern over what he described as the slow pace of implementation of projects promised to the region, warning residents were becoming increasingly impatient as the President's first term draws closer to its end.

“As a region, we will weigh the scale on what has been delivered in terms of development instead of relying on empty promises. We already have the list, and we will be ticking one by one and then give a scorecard,” Yakub said.

Despite being elected on Ruto’s UDA ticket, Yakub has emerged as one of the administration’s most outspoken critics in Northeastern, insisting the government will ultimately be judged on tangible development outcomes rather than political rhetoric.

His criticism intensified during Ruto’s recent tour of the region, which he skipped.

In a widely circulated statement, the MP dismissed the visit as having little relevance to the immediate needs of Fafi residents, arguing that constituents were more concerned about roads, schools, teachers, healthcare services and other basic development priorities.

According to Yakub, while flagship national projects such as Lapsset are important, residents expect the government to address local challenges that directly affect their daily lives.

The contrasting positions taken by Osman and Yakub highlight an emerging debate within Fafi constituency and the wider Northeast over Ruto’s development record and whether it justifies support for a second term.

While Osman is actively mobilising residents to back the President’s re-election, Yakub maintains that support must first be earned through the fulfilment of promises made to the people of Garissa county and the broader region.

INSTANT ANALYSIS

The contrasting positions taken by former Fafi MP Abdikarim Osman and incumbent MP Salah Yakub reflect a growing political debate in the Northeast over President William Ruto’s development record ahead of the 2027 elections. While Osman is framing recent government projects and policy changes as evidence that the region should reward the President with a second term, Yakub is pushing a performance-based approach, arguing that support must be earned through the delivery of tangible promises. The disagreement signals that political loyalty alone may not guarantee votes, with development outcomes increasingly emerging as the key measure by which leaders will be judged.