Farah Maalim to replace Duale as the next Majority Leader if NASA wins August elections

Farah Maalim addressing the Wiper Party national conference in Nairobi. {Courtesy}

GARISSA—Former Lagdera Member of Parliament Farah Maalim is projected to be the next Majority Leader of the twelfth parliament if the opposition coalition wins in the coming polls.

According to a high placed source within the technical team that was behind the formation of National Super Alliance (NASA), Farah was challenged to unseat the current Majority Leader in the National Assembly Aden Duale for him take up the coveted parliamentary slot.

“It is quite a challenge, but the NASA principals believe Farah is up to the task,” the source intimated to Kulan Post on the promise that his identity will remain hidden because he is not placed to share the details of the ongoing negotiations until the principals of the coalition will agree on a final pact as the country gears towards the most expensive, hotly contested presidential election.

A day after the formation of NASA, the opposition coalition headed for Garissa Township for their first countywide campaign to publicise the union and plead with the voters to unseat the ruling coalition, Jubilee.

Since then, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Raila Odinga and his Wiper counterpart Kalonzo Musyoka have led campaigns in the constituency in what local political analysts believe is a push to consolidate Farah’s standing in the coalition and offer him the prominence he needs to challenge Duale.

Duale is third in Jubilee party pecking order while Farah was the chairman of the ODM disciplinary committee until his defection on December to Wiper where he serves as the National deputy leader.

Farah Maalim has been involved in active politics for over quarter-a-century and his bid this elections for the Garissa Township seat is a litmus test of his relevance after he lost the senatorial seat to Yusuf Haji in the 2013 elections.

Maalim hails from the Auliyahan sub-clan of Ogaden clan.  According to close confidants, the decision of his defection is solely informed by his Auliyahan sub-clan to consolidate its votes and front all its candidates on a single party ticket. Governor Nathif, woman rep Shukran Gure and majority of the MCA’s in the county were all elected on a wiper ticket.

But that is not all.   Farah felt he was being overshadowed by the leadership at the Orange house at a time when he badly needed prominence.

In December during the Wiper National Governing Council meeting at Kasarani indoor arena, Farah Maalim was named deputy party leader, second to the party founder Kalonzo Musyoka.

In the last few months, the Orange party has been grooming Balambala Member of Parliament Abdikadir Omar in a pitch to get votes from the Abudwak sub-clan and divide Duale’s support base.

Though Abdi K won’t be vying against his clansman Duale, his stand in the Abuduwaq sub-clan will significantly improve.

Abdi K is the current Organizing Secretary of ODM and a member of the Budget and Appropriation Committee.

He was seen enjoying high profile political drive with the ODM leadership, many of which the former deputy speaker never attended.