With over 54,000 registered voters, the next Wajir governor may come from Wajir South afterall

UNITED: (From Left) Sheikh Abdisalan Muhumed, Abdullahi Diriye, Amb. Mohamed Affey, Senator Abdirahman Olow and Dayow in Wajir during Wajir South Forum. {Kulan Post}

WAJIR—The next governor of Wajir may come from the populous Wajir South if plans by the area community elders sees the light of the day.

With over 54, 000 registered voters, the Ogaden Supreme Council (OSC) plans to take Wajir County politics by storm.

“It’s happening and it is the new reality,” says Yakub Sheikh Hassan Okash, former interim Secretary of the Wajir South Forum and an official of the committee that is orgernising the Saturday meeting in Wajir where the OSC is set to front a gubernatorial candidate as well as a Woman representative for the August polls.

The Saturday meeting in Wajir town is a culmination of seven month preparation following a meeting that lasted for three days in August at Shalettee in Wajir town, the venue of the Saturday meeting.

While the meeting lasted, there was a palpable excitement about the new challenge to have the next county governor coming from the biggest constituency in the formerly North Eastern province.

From one speaker to the other, the rallying call was the need to unite–a unity of purpose.

The first mandate of the Ogaden Supreme Council—a team of professionals and clan elders— was to unite the community following years of discord caused by political indifference and to mobilise new voters.

And on Saturday, the OSC is expected to name their preferred candidates and the area political leaders have vowed to respect any decision by OSC.

In August, Senator Abdirahman Ali Hassan Olow said he would not make his ambition public until when the Council has made up their choice.

“I want to tell everyone that I will not make a political decision, or commitment without the blessing of the Elders,” Olow said, adding: “It’s time we stopped being passengers and take on the wheel.”

Ambassador Mohamed Abdi Affey, the Igad envoy to Somalia said he would not “disturb the people again.” He added that if the community invites him to vie in any post, he would oblige.

Over ten candidates have applied for the gubernatorial position and unspecified number of women have written to the OSC to be endorsed for the Women representative position.

“The OSC will front solid, sellable and strong candidate for the position of the governor,” Yakub said.