By Azizah Abdullahi
Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale presided over a high-profile fundraising event for Markaz Al-Imam Shafii Madrasa in Wajir County after outgoing Governor Ahmed Abdullahi reportedly failed to attend despite repeated attempts by the organising committee to reach him.
The governor’s absence from Saturday’s fundraiser at Nairobi’s Weston Hotel, which brought together an array of national and county leaders, has raised questions among some residents about his engagement with community-led initiatives in the county.
Wajir Deputy Governor Ahmed Muhumed Abdi attended the event, which was hosted by Tarbaj MP Hussein Abdi Bare and attracted several political leaders, including elected representatives, former MPs, gubernatorial aspirants and senior government officials.
Wajir Today has learnt that the organising committee made several attempts during the preparations to secure Governor Abdullahi’s attendance but struggled to reach him.
“Getting him was like a hard nut to crack. We made several attempts to reach out to the governor,” a source familiar with the arrangements told Wajir Today.
The source said accessing the governor had become increasingly difficult during his tenure as chairperson of the Council of Governors, complicating efforts to secure his participation in the fundraiser.
“We were racing against time and we had to look for an alternative,” the source said.
The committee subsequently approached Duale, who agreed to attend and preside over the fundraising drive without any hesitation or delay.
According to the source, securing an appointment with the Cabinet Secretary was considerably easier.
“When we met the Cabinet Secretary at his office, he quickly asked for his diary without any hesitation and marked his calendar,” the source said.
The source maintained that the committee’s efforts were not politically motivated but driven by the need to organise the fundraiser and secure the participation of key leaders from Wajir.
“We are not playing politics, but we could not get an appointment with the governor,” the source added.
The source further claimed that Governor Abdullahi reached out to the committee after learning that it had secured an alternative guest of honour, but the programme had already been finalised.
The governor’s absence was particularly notable given the gathering’s significance for Wajir, with several leaders from the county and the wider Northeastern region attending the event.
In his remarks, Duale said the fundraiser was aimed at mobilising resources for the expansion and modernisation of Markaz Al-Imam Shafii Madrasa in Tarbaj Constituency.
He emphasised the importance of investing in Islamic education and strengthening religious institutions as centres of moral formation, character development and responsible citizenship.
“The funds raised will support the expansion and modernisation of the madrasa, improving its facilities and learning resources to better serve the community,” Duale said.
The Cabinet Secretary also addressed the importance of protecting the independence of government institutions, saying public officers should be allowed to discharge their constitutional responsibilities without intimidation or undue political interference.
“Matters concerning law enforcement should be addressed through established institutional channels and not drawn into divisive political rhetoric,” he said.
The event brought together a significant delegation of political leaders, led by host MP Hussein Abdi Bare.
Other attendees included Eldas MP Adan Keynan, Wajir East MP Adan Dawud, Wajir Woman Representative Fatuma Jehow, Mandera North MP Major (Rtd) Bashir Abdullahi, Moyale MP Prof. Guyo Jaldesa and Laisamis MP Lekuton.
Wajir gubernatorial aspirants Ahmed Kolosh, Mohamed Elmi and Dr. Hassan Mohamed, also attended alongside Ugas Mohamed, chairperson of the Capital Markets Authority, and other political figures.
The gathering further attracted Wajir senatorial aspirant Abdirahman Ali, Commission on Revenue Allocation Commissioner Fatuma Gedi and Principal Secretaries Ummi Bashir and Abdisalan Ibrahim.
Religious leaders, senior public servants and members of the business community also attended.
Governor Abdullahi’s explanation for missing the event was not available at the time of publication.
