Lone ODM MCA in Mandera vows to popularise party in the county

The only member of county assembly (MCA) in Mandera elected on an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party ticket has vowed to fight for the party’s
relevance in the county.

Mr Noor Mohamud Abdinur, a self-declared ODM ambassador, said he is contented with being the Nasa point-man in Mandera.

“I was elected on an ODM ticket against Jubilee and EFP and I shall go on selling out party’s agenda in Mandera without fear,” he said.

Mr Abdinur shares the floor with 27 MCAs of the Economic Freedom Party, 18 of Jubilee Party and two of Narc Kenya.

“I have never felt lonely since I was elected and more so my colleagues don’t ridicule me at the assembly which makes me very much
comfortable,” he said.

Several candidates vied on the ODM ticket for different positions in Mandera but all lost except for Mr Abdinur.

OPPOSING CAMPS

He admits his situation is challenging being the only one in ODM and that the two camps always want him to boost their numbers on the floor but he
declines.

“Being in the assembly without any other member from your party is very difficult but I will not disappoint my party no matter what
situation,” he said.

Mr Abdinur said that in the build-up to August 8, 2017 General Elections, all his competitors scrambled for political parties that were welcomed
by the council of elders in Mandera.

“I did not look at the parties that were enjoying the support of council of elders in Mandera but I looked at my relationship with the
electorate,” he said.

DOOR-TO-DOOR CAMPAIGNS

The Rhamu Dimtu MCA says he launched a door-to-door campaigns and managed to convince locals that a political party meant nothing and that
the individual being voted for was the most important thing.

“What I needed most was to sell myself as a person to the people then finish with informing them of my party,” he said.

ODM, according to the MCA, is a political party with a national outlook and has the most membership in the country and thus needed no formal
introduction in Mandera.

CHALLENGES

“I had challenges in countering the Jubilee and the EFP wave but my good history in society and support from my party got me the win,” he said.

The MCA points out that voting along tribal lines in Mandera as another challenge that almost killed his ambition.

“People don’t consider political parties here but their clans and speaking for myself gave me an upper hand,” he recalled.

He said his main agenda is to empower the community and sell the ODM manifesto across the county.

“I confined myself at the ward level because Jubilee was in control of all other areas where nobody could listen to anything from Nasa,” he said.

SPECTATOR

At the Mandera County Assembly, Mr Abdinur is often reduced to a spectator as Jubilee and EFP MCAs battle to control the House.

EFP, backed by the local powerful council of elders, has the majority members with Jubilee, which formed the county government, being second in the number of MCAs in the assembly.

“We encountered problems at the beginning but in this second session I don’t expect much drama because we have had more than enough trainings
and several reconciliation conferences,” he said.

He calls on both EFP and Jubilee members to settle their differences maturely and focus on serving the electorate.

WORK TOGETHER

“Let’s join hands and work for the betterment of the great people of Mandera County especially [during this time of] drought when
water shortage and livestock deaths are being reported in many parts of the county,” he said.

He at the same time applauds his party leader Raila Odinga’s move to meet President Uhuru Kenyatta and advices him to continue with his mission of seeing
a reformed and better Kenya through dialogue.

“Seeing my party leader engage President Uhuru through dialogue is the best thing and it gives me and many others hope,” he said.

“Our party leader has a vision which is good for Kenyans and he has to press on despite the many hurdles. I assure him of my support,” the MCA added.

He wants the ODM party to engage Mandera people more regularly in order to increase its membership in the county.