Wajir gubernatorial aspirant Yahya Mohamed Dahiye has urged voters to shun political brokers and engage candidates directly before making decisions on who to elect in the 2027 General Election.

Dahiye said residents should be allowed to listen to candidates, scrutinize their ideas and proposed programmes and independently decide who deserves their support, instead of relying on political intermediaries.

Speaking during a grassroots campaign in Wajir town, the aspirant said he had deliberately adopted a direct campaign strategy that would enable him to interact with voters in their neighbourhoods, markets and other public spaces.

“My campaign will be about coming directly to the people. I do not need intermediaries between me and the people to come and seek their support and votes. That is why I have come to you,” he said.

Dahiye said direct engagement would give voters an opportunity to raise issues affecting their lives and seek answers from candidates seeking elective positions.

He urged residents to examine the track record, ideas and programmes of aspirants before deciding whom to support, saying political choices should be made by voters themselves.

“Residents should have the opportunity to interact directly with those seeking their votes and make their own political choices after listening to candidates and examining their ideas,” he said.

The aspirant said his campaign model would take him closer to residents rather than depend on established political networks or intermediaries to mobilize support.

He said he would engage different groups of residents directly, including young people and job seekers, to understand their concerns and explain his political agenda.

Dahiye said his experience as Wajir County Chief Officer for Finance had exposed him to issues surrounding management of public resources, service delivery and the need to create economic opportunities for residents.

He said political leadership should be closely linked to the concerns of residents and the delivery of services that improve their livelihoods.

The direct campaign strategy comes at a time when political consultations and mobilization are gaining momentum in Wajir, ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Wajir, like other parts of Northern Kenya, has traditionally relied heavily on community consultations and the involvement of elders in political mobilization and the selection or endorsement of candidates.

The role of elders and community structures has often been associated with negotiated democracy, where political actors seek consensus and community backing before taking their campaigns to the wider electorate.

Dahiye, however, said voters should have an opportunity to interact with different aspirants and make their own assessment rather than having their choices determined by intermediaries.

He said young people in particular should take an active role in political processes and engage candidates on issues affecting their communities.

“I am seeking to engage the people directly. Let the people hear from the candidates themselves, understand their ideas and then make their own choices,” he said.

Dahiye said his approach was intended to promote direct communication between leaders and the electorate, adding that voters should be able to question aspirants on their plans before giving them their support.

The gubernatorial contest is expected to attract several aspirants, even as political consultations continue across the county ahead of the 2027 polls.

Dahiye said his campaign would continue to focus on direct interaction with residents as he seeks support for his bid to become the next Wajir governor.

He urged voters not to allow political intermediaries to make decisions on their behalf, instead they should participate actively in determining the leadership they want.

By Hamdi Buthul