I’m back in action and ready to bite—Wajir senator

Wajir senator Abdullahi Ali addressing the youths during the youth conference in Wajir. (Courtesy)

WAJIR—Wajir senator, Dr Abdullahi Ali Kabreta is defined by his tall figure and reserved character. But as he has rightly put, he is now prepared to shed his character to defend the interest of the people.

Converging the youth in an over-crowded ICT hall in Wajir town on Monday, the senator made it clear that he is now a man with one mission—to watchdog the county funds from officials with an elusive appetite for looting.

Immediately he made his keynote address at the first State of the Wajir Count Youth conference, one youngman took the attendants by surprise when he quipped, “Where have you been senator. Why have you been silent?”

The senator pleaded him to remain silent and explained that he was busy with court petitions and publicly apologised for his absence from county politics.

“I want to apologise to you… I know that I have  not been actively preforming my duties,” he said, adding that, “I would be more active in my oversight role from today.”

True to his words, the senator has been conspicuously silent on major corruption scandals and reports of run-away nepotism in the County.

“I was busy with other things,” he stated.

For the first year in office, the county government of Wajir was marred by claims of corruption and nepotism. The anti-graft sleuths raided the county offices twice, investigating financial scandals amounting to millions.

On April,  the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission officers raided the Wajir Roads department offices.

They confiscated laptops, desktops, files and crucial documents in the four-hour search. The officers did not speak to the media after the operation.

Northeastern anti-corruption boss Japhet Baithalu told the Star on the phone his officers were investigating allegations of misuse of public funds.

“We did a search after getting a warrant from the court. Officers took away documents to assist in the probe,” he said.

Months later, five officers from the EACC yesterday morning raided the Wajir finance department offices.

Accompanied by 15 armed police officers, they caught the staff completely unawares.

The officials took over and started questioning a number of accountants and senior officials in the finance and internal audit office. 

The county employees decry of unpaid allowances for work done. Allowances were not received since September when the new governor, Mohamed Abdi was sworn-in to office.

“My hands are now untied and I will perform,” senator Kabreta assured.

People close to the senator said he was actively involved with solution on how to end the alleged corruption at the county, albeit behind the scenes.

“He was the trusted elder between Fatuma Gedi (the women representative) and the governor. That’s why he did not come out strongly to advocate,” the aide told Kulan Post in confidence.