New MP outlines agenda for Wajir South

Newly elected Wajir South MP Mahamud Sirat has promised to tackle five key challenges affecting his constituents during his stint at the august House.

While laying out his grand plans, the MP-elect pledged to end the acute water shortages affecting his constituents, construct new roads, assist youths acquire identity cards, improve healthcare systems and ensure that devolved funds were properly utilised.

Apart from this, the vast constituency also lacks electricity and other amenities. It also has high levels of illiteracy and general poverty, which he has also promised to tackle.

Mr Sirat said he wanted to be judged by his work.

“It feels nice that I have been voted in as the new MP…thanks to Allah,” said an elated Sirat moments after being declared the winner at the Senior Chief Ogle Girls Secondary School in Habaswein Town.

“The moment is here with us now. There’s no greater army than an idea whose time has come. The people of Wajir South have spoken and we must respect the people’s choice.”

“This victory captures the mood and aspiration of my constituents…it embodies the new spirit of peace, development and unity of purpose.”

Mr Sirat (ODM-Kenya) emerged victorious in the hotly contested by-election when he garnered 9,643 votes as opposed to his closest challenger –Abdirahman Hassan (Kanu), who got 6,381 votes.

Other candidates, who had been cleared by the IIEC officials registered very poor results.

They include Abdullahi Bulale of Narc who had seven votes, Ahmed Ali Mukhtar (National Agenda Party of Kenya) who had five votes while Abdirizak Mohammed Ibrahim (Liberal Party of Kenya) had a paltry four votes.

The seat fell vacant after Mr Hassan’s election was nullified by a petition filed by Mr Sirat.

Mr Hassan had won the seat on a Kanu ticket, an affiliate party of the PNU coalition.

Dr Sirat’s victory sparked celebration along the streets of Habaswein Town Thursday morning with his supporters, most of whom comprised of women, singing his praises.

Mr Hassan, who had earlier on been at the tallying centre left after it became apparent that he would lose.

While addressing journalists, the MP elect said the fact that he was overwhelmingly voted for by the four clans in the constituency was a clear indication of people’s faith in his abilities.

Voting patterns in the constituency have always been dictated by clan affiliations.

The largest clan is Mohamed Zuber which belonged to Mr Hassan, other clans are Makbul clan, Geri and Bageri clans.

In his short speech, Mr Sirat thanked all those who assisted him win the by-election even as he extended an olive branch to former MP Hassan whom he described as his ‘former primary school teacher’  to join him and ensure the development of the constituency.

“I want to thank the leaders of Wajir South for supporting me throughout the election petition, my constituents for electing me as their member of parliament, the judiciary for doing justice, IIEC for conducting a free and fair election,” he said.

“I want to extend an olive branch to my former primary school teacher so that we can develop our constituency.”

The Wajir South by-election, whose voter turn-out stood at 73 percent, was marked by high voter turn-out but brought to fore the high illiteracy levels in the constituency.

According to the Interim Independent Electoral Commission officials, more than 80 percent of the voters had to be assisted to vote.

The constituency has some 22,100 registered voters and 73 polling stations.

Security at the constituency had been tightened with law enforcement officers patrolling the area.

Military and Administration Police officers were deployed to the constituency with the Kenya-Somalia border being a priority.