Friday April 22, 2022
by STEPHEN ASTARIKO
UPLIFTING LIVES: Former Al Jazeera journalist Mohamed Adow receives his ODM certificate to vie for Wajir South MP from party leader Raila Odinga on Wednesday, April 20. Image: STEPHEN ASTARIKO
Veteran journalist Mohammed Adow on Wednesday received his ODM certificate to vie for Wajir South MP.
ODM leader Raila Odinga awarded Adow his certificate to clinch the seat held by Mohamud Mohamed Sheikh.
In an exclusive interview with the Star on Thursday, Adow said his entrance to politics is a sacrifice to improve the lives of residents in the expansive constituency.
He said there is need to take responsibility in the usage of resources to uplift people’s lives.
The former Aljazeera journalist said he delayed joining politics in 2013 and 2017 despite being under immense pressure from residents.
He also said his media career was on an upward trajectory.
Adow decried the level of corruption and embezzlement of public funds at the county terming the vice as a form of self-marginalisation.
He said devolved funds if utilised well, would have improved critical services such as water and health.
“Initially there was some form of comfort in blaming the national government for under development. However, resources are devolved but we have nothing to show,” Adow said.
The aspirant said if elected he will push for the reopening of the Somalia-Kenya border to boost economies of the villages.
The reopening he said will also help the government get much needed revenue and encourage the Africa Union’s intra-trade, which enables African nations to do business amongst themselves.
The border was officially closed in 2015 following increased attacks by al Shabaab militants.
“My entrance into politics is to offer leadership and find solutions to issues that bedevil our people. It's unfortunate that people are still lacking access to clean water,” Adow said.
The aspirant however said negotiated democracy has emboldened nepotism with mostly elders choosing wrong leaders for the people.
Adow started his media career as a Garissa correspondent for Daily Nation in 1996. He later joined the BBC in Nairobi and Ethiopia as a world service correspondent.
In 2006, he joined Qatar based Al Jazeera as Africa correspondent before he was transferred to Doha as World correspondent in Africa, Middle East and Europe in 2017.
Some of the events he covered include fighting Isil, Boko Haram, in Nigeria, Al-qaeda, the fight in Yemen as well as the Syria crisis.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)