By Adan Mohamed - Reporter
Kenya, 7 August 2026 - A committee exploring a possible 2027 presidential bid by Senator Okiya Omtatah from Busia, met a section of residents in Mandera County to collect public views on whether he should contest for the country's highest office.
The consultative forum formed as part of a nationwide public engagement exercise aimed at gathering citizens' opinions and identifying the key issues they want addressed by future national leadership.
During the meeting, residents highlighted several pressing challenges affecting the county, with healthcare, access to quality education, youth unemployment, insecurity, infrastructure development, water scarcity and economic opportunities emerging among the top priorities.
Mandera Residents urged any future administration to focus on improving public services, creating jobs for young people and investing in neglected regions such as Northern Kenya.
Mr Jude Ogolla, who is the head data analyst and one of the committee members, said the consultations are intended to provide an opportunity for Kenyans to directly shape the agenda of any potential presidential campaign by ensuring that citizens' concerns are heard before a final decision on the 2027 General Election is made.
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The Mandera meeting marked the committee's 45th county engagement since the nationwide consultations began. According to the committee, only Kiambu and Nairobi counties remain before the countrywide exercise is concluded.
The committee is expected to compile views collected from all 47 counties into a comprehensive report that will inform Senator Omtatah's decision on whether to formally enter the 2027 presidential race.
The ongoing consultations underscore growing efforts by aspiring leaders to engage the public early and develop policy priorities based on the needs and expectations of citizens across the country.