Wajir governor aspirant Hassan Wehliye has said he will ruthlessly fight graft and ensure equitable distribution of resources in the county if elected in the 2022 polls.
He also promised to empower governance structures to ensure sufficient oversight and strict adherence to the law and policies.
“If elected governor, I promise to instil fiscal discipline to ensure prudent use of public resources through elimination of unnecessary expenditure and misappropriation of funds,” he said.
Wehliye is currently the deputy director of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission at the Coast region and a former NIS officer.
On Sunday, he was endorsed by his Fai community, one of the major sub-clans among the Degodia of Wajir.
Communities from the Northeastern region use negotiated democracy, where a candidate is endorsed by clans and elders to ensure one clan does not dominate leadership.
Clans in Wajir have started picking candidates for various seats and forming alignments as they position themselves for the 2022 elections.
Wajir county has six constituencies, with four inhabited by majority of the Degodia sub-clans.
Fai community has 14 subsections, each headed by a traditional leader known as Ugas who reports directly to a Sultan.
The six-month vetting process which saw Wehliye endorsed had other shortlisted candidates including Hassan Mohamed, the proprietor of Nairobi East Hospital and Ugas Sheikh Mohamed.
Wehliye is a seasoned administrator who has worked with the government in various ranks.
On Tuesday, Wehliye said he is equal to the task and promised to transform residents' lives if elected as the county boss.
“In sharing of county resources, equity and fairness will be a key pillar that will inform our decision-making in resource allocation so as to address poverty and inequality,” he said.
He added that he will increase agricultural and livestock productivity and ensure value addition and commercialisation of the livestock which is the back born of the region’s economy.
“I will increase availability and access to water,” he said.
Water shortage and insufficient grazing areas are the major challenges residents face in the areas that has for long been classified as arid and semi-arid.
Wehliye pledged to enhance quality health care for all and introduce projects to empower the youth, women and PWDs.
He also vowed to foster cohesion and unity among all communities living in the expansive county.
He promised to do all it takes to give residents that dream leadership that they yearn for.
“I have the competence and courage to make development and prosperity a reality. Without doubt, I take this as a challenge but also as an opportunity to start a new line of servant leadership,” he said.
-Edited by SKanyara