By Staff Writer

WAJIR, Kenya, July 20 — Wajir County Woman Representative Fatuma Abdi Jehow has accused sections of the local and national media of unprofessional reporting after some outlets circulated videos suggesting residents in Bute chanted political slogans against her during her visit to Wajir North Constituency.

The media shared a footage of residents singing the “Wantam” chorus, a slogan that has gained political currency in Kenya ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The lawmaker disputed the portrayal of the visit and later shared a separate video showing what she described as a large, enthusiastic reception in Bute.

“To all the doubting Thomases: here’s the crowd in Bute chanting,” she wrote in the caption accompanying the video.

Jehow said the media had failed to present an accurate account of the visit, which she described as significant because she was the first sitting Wajir County Woman Representative to visit Bute since the introduction of Kenya’s devolved system of government in 2013.

“I’m genuinely surprised by the level of unprofessionalism displayed by some sections of our media,” Jehow said

“My recent visit to Bute in Wajir North was a historic one. But instead of reporting the facts, some correspondents from respected media stations chose to tell a different story.”

She added: “As we embrace the digital era, the responsibility to share accurate, balanced, and truthful information has never been more important. Our people deserve facts, not narratives that misrepresent events.”

According to Jehow, her visit focused on engaging residents and discussing development priorities rather than politics.

“On the brighter side, my visit to Bute was inspiring,” she said. “The warmth, enthusiasm, and hope shown by the residents spoke volumes. I had the opportunity to engage women, youth, and the wider community, and together we reaffirmed our commitment to development, inclusion, and a better future for Wajir North.”

The media dispute follows the start of Jehow’s development tour of Wajir North Constituency on Sunday, during which she met elders, religious leaders, teachers, security officials, youth representatives and other community stakeholders.

According to an earlier statement by the legislator, the outreach forms part of her ongoing constituency engagements under the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF), a government programme administered through the Office of the County Woman Representative to support community development initiatives.

“I was delighted to meet with elders, religious leaders, teachers, security officials, youth, influential members of the community and other stakeholders as part of my ongoing development tour of Wajir North,” Jehow said.

She described Wajir North as having played an important role in her political career and reaffirmed her commitment to development in the constituency.

“Wajir North holds a special place in my life and political journey. It is a community that has stood with me over the years, and I remain committed to ensuring that it continues to benefit from meaningful and inclusive development,” she said.

Jehow also thanked residents for what she described as constructive discussions on local development priorities.

“I sincerely thank the people of Wajir North for their warm hospitality, the open and constructive discussions, and the valuable ideas they shared on the development priorities of our constituency,” she said. “Their insights and partnership are essential as we work together to improve the lives of our people.”

She said her office would continue implementing programmes through NGAAF to ensure development projects reach communities across Wajir County.

“Through the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF), under the Office of the County Woman Representative, we remain committed to ensuring that development reaches every corner of Wajir County and benefits every resident,” she said.

It was not immediately possible to independently verify competing claims about the crowd’s reaction during the Bute visit or determine whether the circulating videos reflected isolated moments or the broader reception.

The exchange comes as political activity across Wajir County intensifies ahead of Kenya’s 2027 General Election, with elected leaders increasing public engagements and social media outreach while scrutiny of media coverage and political messaging continues to grow.