Duale wrong on endorsing leaders – Roba

Mandera Governor Ali Roba has criticised National Assembly majority leader Aden Duale over his remarks that the Jubilee Party will support a candidate endorsed by the elders.

Duale recently said JP will respect elders’ decision after they endorsed Hasan Noor for Mandera governor.

Roba said Duale’s remarks had gone against JP’s promise to conduct free and fair nominations.

“His Excellency the President, who is the Jubilee Party leader, promised that the party will conduct a free and fair election but the remarks of Aden Duale are quite controversial. They are the actual opposite,” he said.

“Duale has committed a grievous mistake – he has disrespected both the President and the Jubilee Party.”

Roba spoke on Thursday during the Mashujaa Day celebrations in Mandera county. Residents should be left alone to choose their leaders, he said.

Development Projects

The governor affirmed his dedication to end food shortages experienced in the county for years through an irrigation project on the River Dawa.

“In the next 10 years Mandera county will have sufficient food,” he said.

The county government is working on a 24.5km tarmac road—the first of its kind in Mandera town, Roba said.

Once it is complete, investors will flock into the county, he said.

Roba said the county government has improved health and education.
Unfulfilled promises

The governor also remarked that President Uhuru Kenyatta during his visit to Mandera had promised the state would resolve electricity outages in a week, but this has not been resolved six months after the visit.

“Terrorists are taking advantage of the power outages to attack the people since it is dark and people cannot see them as they approach,” he said.

Roba said the government failed to build the Somalia-Kenya border wall to prevent terrorist attacks.

“Eighteen months since the project began, the government has not covered more than 8km of the total 360km Kenya-Somalia border wall and we wonder if it will ever end,” he said.