Lafey MP Mohamed Abdikheir speaking during his endorsement ceremony by community members from the Warfay Hirsi sub-clan /STEPHEN ASTARIKO
Lafey MP Mohamed Abdikheir has
challenged opposition leaders to abandon what he termed politics of insults and
incitement and instead sell their policies and development agenda to Kenyans.
Abdikheir said political leaders should embrace civility and allow voters to make informed decisions at the ballot rather than resorting to personal attacks, inflammatory rhetoric and attempts to incite communities against one another.
He spoke in Lafey town after receiving an endorsement from elders of the Warfay Hirsi sub-clan of the larger Murule community for another term as the constituency’s MP.
Abdikheir said the electorate was mature enough to assess the government’s performance and decide who deserves their support, insisting that the 2027 election should be a contest of ideas, policies and development records.
His remarks came as the opposition sustained its criticism of President William Ruto and his administration, with opposition leaders maintaining that they are united around the objective of denying the President a second term in the 2027 election.
“My free advice to the opposition is that they should focus on presenting an alternative agenda to the electorate instead of relying on attacks against the President and his government,” he said.
“Elections are about the people. Let every leader go to the people, explain what they intend to do for this country and allow Kenyans to make their choice. We should not use insults and incitement as a substitute for an agenda,” he added.
The endorsement also gave Abdikheir an opportunity to rally residents behind Ruto’s reelection bid, arguing that northern Kenya had every reason to support the President based on what he described as the unprecedented attention and development commitment his administration had accorded the region.
“As a region we have no apologies for supporting President Ruto. Since independence, we have not had a head of state who has committed himself to uplifting this region in the manner President Ruto has done,” he said.
Abdikheir said years of marginalisation and neglect had left northern Kenya lagging behind other parts of the country in infrastructure, public services and economic opportunities, but argued that the current administration was changing that narrative.
He also called on residents who have attained 18 years to acquire national identity cards and register as voters, saying their participation would be crucial in determining the country’s leadership.
“My plea to our people, the residents of this region, is please let us do what is required of us as patriotic Kenyans. We have to ensure that we participate in the democratic exercise of electing our leaders next year. That will only be possible if we acquire the necessary documents,” he said.
“We have to show our appreciation to President Ruto by voting for him so that he gets as many votes that will ensure that he is reelected for a second term in office,” Abdikheir said.
He urged residents to maintain peace and cohesion and resist attempts by politicians to exploit clan and community differences for political gain.
The
MP thanked the Warfay Hirsi elders for their confidence and pledged to continue
serving Lafey while championing development and unity.
The endorsement is expected to strengthen his bid for another term, with clan elders likely to play a significant role in the constituency’s political calculations.
Lafey MP Mohamed Abdikheir during his endorsement ceremony /STEPHEN ASTARIKO
Lafey MP Mohamed Abdikheir during his endorsement ceremony /STEPHEN ASTARIKO
Elders from the Warfay Hirsi sub-clan endorsing Lafey MP Mohamed Abdikheir /STEPHEN ASTARIKO
