By Abdimalik Hajir - Reporter
January 19 2026- Pressure is mounting on the Aulihan Council of Elders, led by Ugas Hamud Sheikh, to endorse former Botswana envoy Mohamed Muktar Shidiye as the next Garissa Governor.
On Sunday, the former Lagdera Member of Parliament formally presented his Garissa gubernatorial bid to the council of elders, who are expected to endorse one candidate before entering coalition talks with other clans in the Ogaden-dominated county.
Speaker after speaker, local elders — some of them members of the Aulihan council — urged the Ugaas to endorse Shidiye, arguing that the same elders had previously asked him to step down in favour of incumbent Governor Nathif Jama during the 2022 General Election.
Abdinasir Sheikh Dubat told the elders that a promise is a debt that must be repaid, recalling that they had committed to backing Shidiye’s gubernatorial bid in the 2027 elections.
“We are asking the council of elders to honour the debt you took. You must repay it fully by declaring him the sole Aulihan candidate,” he told the crowd that turned up for the meeting.
Abdullahi Biriye, popularly known as Abdullahi Mrefu, echoed the call, saying promises made in 2022 must be fulfilled. He urged locals to pray for elders who may be leaning towards endorsing other candidates for the gubernatorial seat.
Other elders, including Sheikh Yussuf Kosar and Abdinasir Dubat, also called on the council to back Shidiye, saying they could personally vouch for his experience and leadership credentials.
Shidiye, on his part, said he had accepted the elders’ decision to step down and support Nathif Jama in 2022, noting that he had contributed resources, public mobilisation and material support at the time.
Shidiye, whose hundreds of supporters turned up for the event held at a Garissa town hotel, vowed to tackle perennial challenges including water shortages, healthcare gaps, poor roads, environmental degradation and youth unemployment.
“So many children have no jobs, forcing them to look for greener pastures, where some end up detained, tortured or even killed in Libya,” Shidiye said shortly after presenting his application.
The former two-term Lagdera lawmaker said he would work to unite the people of Garissa without regard to clan or political affiliation, adding that his public record speaks for itself.
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“Today I presented my application to the Aulihan elders. I believe they will do justice by considering the plight of Garissa people. I have faith that, if elected, I will bring much-needed change to the county,” he said.
The former Botswana ambassador also used the occasion to drum up support for President William Ruto’s re-election, saying they are age-mates who completed university around the same time. He described the President as a workaholic who has delivered significant development for the region.
“People of Garissa, please give your full support to President William Ruto for two terms. He has done a lot for Garissa and the wider Northeastern region,” he said.
On the ongoing drought, Shidiye appealed to President Ruto to scale up interventions to help communities reduce the effects of the dry spell ravaging parts of Northern Kenya.
The Aulihan Council of Elders, led by Ugas Hamud Sheikh, confirmed that they had previously asked Shidiye to step down in favour of Governor Nathif Jama in 2022.
After presenting his application, Shidiye — accompanied by Lagdera MP Mohamed Abdikadir Hussein and several MCAs — addressed residents along Kismayu Road.
The MCAs included Mohamed Abdi Farah (Dadaab), Abubakar Mohamed Khalif (Galbet), Aden Odowa (Dertu), Ahmed Abdirahman (Liboi) and Mahat Abdikadir (Modogashe), among others.
Several individuals aspiring for various positions, including Mohamed Ali, popularly known as Amin Computer, and Abdikheir Dubow, both eyeing the Dadaab parliamentary seat, were also present.
