Garissa township parliamentary aspirant Nasir Dolal Mohamed addressing
his supporters. /STEPHEN ASTARIKO
Garissa Township constituency politics is steadily taking shape as more politicians express interest in the seat ahead of the 2027 General Election.
On Monday, veteran politician Nasir Dolal Mohamed, popularly known as “Jofle” among his supporters, officially threw his hat into the ring.
This ends months of speculation surrounding his candidature for the Garissa Township parliamentary seat. Flanked by hundreds of supporters, Dolal declared that he was in the race and expressed confidence that he would emerge victorious.
“I will not disappoint the people who have stood with me throughout this journey. I am in this race to win and to serve the people of Garissa,” he said.
The announcement marked the first time the seasoned politician had publicly addressed the matter after some elders from the Aulihan clan, led by clan Sultan Hamud Sheikh, endorsed businessman Mohamed Aden Werar as their preferred candidate for the seat in April.
Addressing his supporters during the gathering, Jofle dismissed the elders’ endorsement of Werar, terming the decision null and void.
The veteran politician, who has contested the Garissa Township parliamentary seat since 2013 and consistently emerged second, claimed the elders had been compromised in arriving at their decision.
Dolal, who is running on a UDM ticket, also contested the January 2023 by-election, in which he narrowly lost to the current area MP, Dekow Mohamed of UDA.
Dolal said the endorsement of Werar would not deter his political ambitions or his resolve to serve the people of Garissa.
“I respect the elders and their role in society, but their decision will not stop my quest to vie for the Garissa parliamentary seat in 2027. I was the first aspirant to present my papers before them, yet no reasons were given as to why I was dropped,” he said.
He maintained that he possesses the experience, leadership qualities and political understanding needed to effectively represent the constituency in Parliament.
Dolal further described his rival as a political newcomer who lacks the experience necessary to match his leadership credentials and vision for Garissa Township constituency.
The aspirant urged his supporters to remain united and focused, noting that the journey towards capturing the parliamentary seat had only just begun.
“To my supporters and the people of Garissa, I urge you to remain strong and committed. This journey has just started and together we shall achieve our goal,” he added.
Abakaile MCA Hajir Dahiye, who attended the event, also questioned the process through which the elders decided to drop Dolal, arguing that the move did not enjoy the support of the majority within the community.
“We are gathered here as members of the Aulihan community to offer our brother the much-needed support and to assure him that we are fully behind his quest to clinch the Garissa Township parliamentary seat,” he said.
Dahiye described Dolal as a seasoned politician with deep political roots in Garissa politics. “Dolal is a seasoned politician. He is not new to politics.
The people of Garissa know him very well. The number of votes he has been getting in all the elections he has contested only tells you how popular he still is,” he added.
The women and youth who also spoke at the event promised to rally behind Dolal, saying they would embark on vigorous campaigns for his candidature.
“We will not fall into the trap of dividing our votes because that is what our opponents want us to do. We cannot vote for a weak candidate just because he has been endorsed by some elders at the expense of a strong candidate like Dolal,” said Ambia Hussein, one of his supporters.
The latest developments are expected to further heighten political activity within Garissa Township constituency as aspirants continue to position themselves ahead of what is shaping up to be a highly competitive 2027 parliamentary contest.
Garissa township parliamentary aspirant Nasir Dolal Mohamed with his supporters after the meeting. /STEPHEN ASTARIKO
Supporters of Garissa township parliamentary aspirant Nasir
Dolal at the meeting./STEPHEN ASTARIKO
Abakaile MCA Hajir Dahiye speaking at the event. /STEPHEN
ASTARIKO
Ambia
Hussein, a woman leader speaking at the event./STEPHEN ASTARIKO
Supporters of Garissa township parliamentary aspirant Nasir
Dolal at the meeting./STEPHEN ASTARIKO
