How Kenyans Reacted to Wajir MP’s Alleged Declaration of Rigging 2027 Votes For Ruto

Wajir Women Representative Fatuma Abdi Jehow has sparked widespread condemnation and an intense online debate following a controversial statement made during a public meeting in Wajir on Saturday, July 12, 2025.

Jehow's remarks, suggesting an alleged intention to manipulate electoral outcomes in favour of President William Ruto in the 2027 general elections, have drawn sharp criticism from Kenyans across various platforms.

During her address, Ms. Jehow explicitly stated in Swahili: "Sisi wabunge wa North Eastern maneno ya President, tunasema ‘tutam’, hata kama hatutakua na votes tutamwibia… hio si siri. Sisi tunangoja debe iletwe, hata kama hatutakuwa na votes, sisi maneno yetu ni mafupi."

This translates to a declaration that they, as North Eastern Members of Parliament, would "steal" votes for the President even if they lacked the numbers, asserting that this was "no secret."

The statement rapidly circulated online, triggering an immediate and fierce backlash. Many Kenyans expressed outrage at what they perceived as a brazen admission of electoral malpractice.

Mohammed Hersi (@mohammedhersi) termed the talk "reckless and dangerous," while @Unassuming101 labeled a politician making such remarks an "enemy of democracy, a careless demagogue promoting fraud as strategy."

Calls for accountability were swift, with @DooNdiyo directly tagging the IEBC, DCI, NPS, and Judiciary, questioning “why the MP has not been deemed a person of interest for her statement?”.

Brian Makana (@brianinnbo) rejected the idea of rigging, "Rigging is the plan? That's like playing the finals with offside all the time. Let's play them with policies, not shortcuts! #BallotNiSisi"

The Women Representative's statement also drew accusations of hypocrisy, particularly given her religious attire.  @BillNgumba criticized the perceived contradiction, stating, "Removing a buibui is Haram (forbidden) but stealing is Halal (permissible)..."

Similarly, Team Omtatah (@OndaraOtaro) commented, "Wearing a religious hijab but talking about stealing is diabolical tbh."

Atheists In Kenya Society (@atheists_ke): "Muslims also steal??? ??? Wow .. Afadhali atheists ??"

Some social media users also expressed concern over the potential damage to national trust and tourism, while others distanced their communities from the remarks, such as @Dr_abdirahmanM, who asserted that "Somalis from North Eastern... want to distance ourselves from the sentiments by the women rep. It's her own opinion. It doesn't reflect our position."

The integrity of elections remains a highly sensitive issue in Kenya, with a history of disputes and legal challenges surrounding poll outcomes.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is mandated to ensure free, fair, and credible elections, and public statements from elected officials that undermine this process are often met with severe public condemnation.