By Abdimalik Hajir - Reporter
July 24 ,2026 - Frustrated residents of a neglected village in Garissa County have raised their own funds to clear bushes and create an access road, warning that they will not vote in the 2027 general elections unless the government and local political leaders intervene.
Villagers of Bula Sheikh's Dabar Matan in Masalani say they have repeatedly appealed to relevant authorities for roads, water, and electricity, but their pleas have fallen on deaf ears, forcing them to mobilise funds to clear the bush themselves.
"We have elderly people whom we sometimes take to hospital for check-ups, but because there are no access roads, we endure great difficulties. That is why we mobilised ourselves to raise funds," said Yussuf Hajir, flanked by other community members.
He said emergencies are even worse, leaving them worried that reaching a health facility on time would be impossible. He noted that both the national and county governments have forsaken them.
The villagers now warn they will boycott the next election unless the government and local political actors deliver the basic services they say have been denied for decades.
"We have elected a President, Governor, Senator, MP, and MCA. Where are they? Don't they hear our appeals until we are forced to fundraise for basic necessities that we are entitled to?" added Mzee Yussuf.
He said that now they have cleared the bushes for the access road to their village, they are also asking for murram, electricity, and water. He added that sometimes even water bowsers struggle to reach them.
Another elder, Mzee Hakar Abdi, wondered why they should vote on polling day when politicians make promises they never fulfil. He said they are determined to boycott the upcoming general elections if their needs are not met before August 2027.
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"We will not vote, and we ask politicians not to come to our village with fake promises. This time, we are not going to listen to anyone—we need to see action being taken," he told this reporter on Friday.
Kaltuma Hussein, another resident, recalled how they struggled to transport a mother in labour from their village to hospital, noting that the mother was at risk of losing her pregnancy.
"For how long are we going to appeal to the government for basic needs when it seems no one is listening to us? We won't welcome anyone to our village again until our demands are met," she said.
She said local political actors have become self-interested individuals who have forgotten the people on the ground, promising that things will not be the same again.
In a rare show of unity, the villagers were seen escorting the grader clearing the bush for the access road that connects their village to Masalani town.