Mohamed Muktar Shidiye receives endorsement certificate from Garissa women leaders. PHOTO/UGC.
By ABDULHAKIM SHERMAN
In a powerful show of unity and hope, women leaders across Garissa County have thrown their support behind former ambassador to Botswana and ex-Lagdera MP, Mohamed Muktar Shidiye, as he announced his intention to vie for the Garissa governorship in 2027.
What began as a quiet series of consultative meetings has quickly turned into a groundswell of support, particularly from women leaders who see in Shidiye a rare ally; one who not only listens, but acts.
In a deeply emotional engagement held in Garissa town, Ambassador Shidiye sat with dozens of women from across the county m community organisers, youth representatives, entrepreneurs, medics, and mothers, to hear their stories, their struggles, and their dreams.
What emerged from that meeting was not just a political endorsement, but a shared vision for a more inclusive and equitable Garissa.
Addressing the gathering, Shidiye pledged to make women’s empowerment a central pillar of his campaign and his potential administration.
“It’s time we moved from promises to policies,” he said. “Our women are the backbone of our homes, our economy, and our community. Yet they remain painfully under-represented in leadership, underfunded in business, and underserved in health.”
The ambassador recounted personal stories of mothers who had lost children due to a lack of proper maternity care, young girls who dropped out of school to care for siblings, and women who built small businesses from nothing, only to be denied capital or market access.
“I am not here to speak for women,” Shidiye told the cheering crowd. “I am here to stand beside them, so their voices shape the future of this county.”
Garissa Gubernatorial aspirant Mohamed Shidiye. PHOTO/UGC.
At the heart of Shidiye’s commitment is the full implementation of Kenya’s two-thirds gender rule; a constitutional requirement that no more than two-thirds of any elected or appointed public body be of the same gender.
While the rule has been a constitutional ideal since 2010, its implementation, especially at the county level, has remained elusive. Garissa County, like much of the country, continues to reflect a political structure where women’s participation in leadership remains marginal. Shidiye is vowing to change that.
“If elected Governor in 2027,” he stated firmly, “I will ensure this county leads the way in realising the two-thirds gender rule, not as a favour, but as a right.”
He explained that under his leadership, women would be meaningfully appointed to key decision-making positions, and the County Assembly would be restructured to reflect true gender balance.
His commitment was met with thunderous applause, and a few women could be seen wiping tears from their eyes, not out of sadness, but from the possibility of long-denied dignity finally being recognised. But Shidiye’s vision for Garissa’s women goes beyond policy quotas.
In the same meeting, he laid out an ambitious framework to improve employment and business opportunities for women, with targeted funding for female entrepreneurs and incentives for youth-led businesses. He also proposed the establishment of a Women’s Enterprise Hub, a resource centre that would provide training, access to credit, and mentorship for women across the county.
“I know the potential that exists in our markets, our farms, and our minds,” said 28-year-old Halima Sheikh, a small-scale trader in Garissa town who attended the meeting. “For the first time, I feel that someone might actually help us turn potential into prosperity.”
Equally moving were Shidiye’s comments on improving maternal healthcare in the county. He decried the state of Garissa’s public hospitals, particularly their maternity wards, and called the current conditions “a quiet crisis.”
Garissa County Majority Leader Mohamed Farah speaks during the Garissa women leaders function.
“Every mother deserves to give birth in safety, in dignity, and with skilled hands nearby,” he said. “Under my leadership, we will ensure Garissa’s public hospitals are equipped, staffed, and funded to serve our women the way they deserve.”
He outlined plans to partner with national and international health agencies to bolster equipment, train midwives, and expand access to pre- and post-natal care, especially in rural areas where maternal mortality rates remain alarmingly high.
For many in Garissa, particularly women who have waited decades to see tangible change, Shidiye’s words felt like more than just campaign promises. They felt like the beginning of something new.
“He came to us. He listened. And he didn’t speak over us,” said Fatuma Aden, a veteran teacher and one of the women leaders who officially endorsed his bid. “If he can lead the way he listens, this county might finally see justice, not just in words, but in the lives of our daughters.”
While the 2027 elections are still far off, the emotional endorsement from Garissa’s women is a signal that the political landscape may be shifting. Shidiye’s vision; one grounded in inclusion, justice, and dignity, offers more than just hope. It offers the women of Garissa a seat at the table they have too long been denied.
And perhaps, in 2027, Garissa will not just elect a governor. It may elect a new chapter.
