Abdikadir Mohamed Yussuf, the son of the late Garissa senator Mohamed Yussuf Haji was on Monday cleared by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to vie for the senatorial seat.
The seat fell vacant following the death of the Mohamed Yusuf Haji at the Aga Khan University hospital, Nairobi on February 15, 2021.
Early last month, the family of the late senator picked him to complete the remaining two-year term before he was endorsed by the late Haji’s Abdallah clan. The two Garissa major clans of Abduwak and Aulian agreed to back Abdikadir in honour of the late senator.
Garissa governor and Garissa Township MP Aden Duale both from the Abduwak clan were among top politicians who gave the nod for Abdikadir to vie for the seat, formerly occupied by his late father. Former Garissa governor Nathif Jamah and his Aulian clan also endorsed Haji’s son.
Abdikadir was cleared and awarded IEBC nomination certificate by Garissa county returning officer Hussein Gure at the North Eastern National Polytechnic. He is likely to go unopposed if other parties will not have presented candidates by today (Tuesday).
Present during the brief ceremony, were Garissa governor Ali Korane, his deputy Abdi Dagane, former Garissa governor Nathif Jamah, Ijara MP Sophia Abdinoor and Garissa county assembly speaker Ibrahim Abbas.
The by-election is slated for May 18, 2021.
By Jacob Songok and Erick Kyalo
