Ijara MP Abdi Ali Abdi has defended the leadership of President William Ruto and rejected growing calls for a one-term presidency.
He accused opposition figures of clinging to outdated tribal politics during a fundraising event for a Madarasa in Garissa town.
Mr. Abdi declared that the people of northern Kenya who were long considered politically marginalized remai. firmly behind Ruto and his development agenda.
In remarks aimed at galvanizing support across the pastoralist region, Abdi argued that the “one term” slogan being floated by sections of the opposition holds no substance.
The legislator said it fails to resonate with ordinary Kenyans facing the daily grind of economic hardship and youth unemployment.
“The issue of one term is not possible,” the legislator told a crowd gathered in Ijara, a historically neglected constituency bordering Somalia.
“People all over this country, particularly in Garissa County and the people of Ijara, are ready for two terms.”
Mr. Abdi alias Sheikhow, a first-term MP and emerging voice in the region’s shifting political landscape, positioned himself as a staunch defender of Ruto’s bottom-up economic model, which promises to deliver grassroots development and lift millions out of poverty.
He pointed to ongoing infrastructure and livelihood projects rolled out in northern counties as tangible proof of the regime’s commitment.
“As a national leader, I can confirm that the projects initiated by the president are being appreciated across all parts of this county,” he said.
His comments come amid increasing tension within Kenya’s political class over President Ruto’s future.
His administration has been dogged by criticism over the high cost of living, tax proposals, and civil unrest.
Loyalists like Mr. Abdi maintain that the president’s vision for the country is beginning to bear fruit — particularly in regions long overlooked by previous governments.
“What we want from the opposition is not empty slogans like ‘one term’ or ‘Kasongo’ — those don’t help the common mwananchi,” Abdi said, invoking a popular term that refers to a lightweight or ineffective solution.
“What matters are jobs for our youth, affordable housing, access to water, and education and the president has already initiated many of these projects.”
Northern Kenya voters have often complained of political neglect. Mr. Abdi Sheikhow’s message tapped into a growing sentiment among some local leaders: that Ruto’s presidency has offered northern Kenya a seat at the table.
His remarks also signal a deeper realignment taking shape in the region, with younger leaders rejecting the politics of ethnicity that dominated previous decades.
“The time of dividing the country along tribal lines is over,” said Abdi. “This government is working to unite Kenyans and will ensure they will not be divided by any means.”
President Ruto, who came to power in 2022 after a tightly contested election, is expected to seek re-election in 2027.
While opposition leader Raila Odinga and his allies have yet to formally declare their next move, there has been mounting pressure from critics who accuse Ruto of failing to fulfil his economic pledges.
The one-term call has emerged as a rallying cry among some of his detractors — a message that leaders like Abdi are now working to dismantle.
