We sample what people in Mandera think of President’s meeting with Garre elders

President Uhuru Kenyatta meets elders from Garre community in Mandera. Photo/PSCU

MANDERA—President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday at State House, Nairobi, met with a section of clan elders of various communities living in Mandera County.

The meeting was highly anticipated due to the uncertainty that clouded where the President’s support lies.

In the meeting, Mandera governor Ali Roba was conspicuously missing. The meeting was led by the council of elders and the county senator Billow Kerrow.

We sample what section of Mandera residents think about the meeting.

Abdifatah Bare: I want to tell the president  that he should sense something fishy about the wazees coming to seek his audience. If they have majority support, why did they come to request direct nomination? Let them not misuse you. No direct nomination at all.

Yussuf Sheikh Omar: Uhuru Kenyatta did marvelous work hosting our leaders at State House. Kindly honour all their requests and work with them. Rest assured Mandera is Jubilee zone.

Sadde Shire said: They wasted their time and energy on a meeting that they are welcomed only when their votes are needed. They are despised other times as if they are guests. They are all followers not cared for in anyways.

Daud Ibrahim: I think the President hold on to this elders as the electorates only trust them and not the politicians. If you got the Council of Elders you got the entire Mandera County votes firmly in your hands. They are our pillar of unity.

On Facebook, Adam Birik Ahmed said: (It’s) development for mass extrajudicial killings, unending curfew,police brutality, collapsed education sector, high mortality rate poor roads and skyrocketing insecurity.

Northerners are not those gullible mount Kenya supporters who will rally behind you without conditions. Your goose is cooked, let the elders have the mushroom soup in peace.

On Twitter,  @elijahmwaniki32  said: @UKenyatta did they mention anything to do with the drought or the ailing economy?

 ‏@Nyukabando said: @UKenyatta @HonAdenDuale The word development is so easy in your mouths instead of saying to be given money to sing Jubilee songs.

@nyabira89  said:@UKenyatta we miss the point when leaders go to state house in the guise of “kutafuta maendeleo”(Looking for development).