Wajir’s political landscape has been rocked by fresh controversy after Dela Ward Member of County Assembly (MCA), Yussuf Hussein Ahmed, accused Governor Ahmed Abdullahi Mohamed of being behind his abduction and six-month-long detention.
Hussein, who was abducted on August 13, 2024, along Enterprise Road in Nairobi, claims that his ordeal was politically motivated and linked directly to his opposition to the 2024 Wajir County budget. According to the MCA, the incident occurred just a day after he arrived in the capital to prepare for a meeting with the governor.
“I arrived in Nairobi on September 12, 2024, expecting to meet Governor Ahmed on the 15th to discuss the county budget. Unfortunately, I was abducted on the 13th while leaving South C,” he said. “The abductors were armed with AK-47 rifles and took me into detention, where I remained incommunicado for six months until I was released on March 8, 2025, and dropped in Pangani.”
The abduction sparked widespread outrage and legal action from both the public and political figures in Wajir, with many demanding Hussein’s immediate release. However, no concrete leads surfaced during his captivity, and the mystery surrounding his disappearance remained unsolved—until now.
In a detailed statement released a month after his release, Hussein alleged that the motive behind his abduction was his vocal criticism of the county budget, which he said was passed in his absence. “Everything that happened while I was in detention revolved around my strained relationship with the governor,” he claimed.
While these serious allegations have intensified political tensions in Wajir, Governor Abdullahi is yet to issue a formal response. The MCA’s claims have sparked calls for an independent investigation to uncover the truth and ensure justice is served.
Human rights groups and civil society organisations have also weighed in, demanding that those responsible for the abduction be held accountable, and urging the national government to intervene.
As the Wajir County Assembly and national security agencies face pressure, this case could have significant implications for political accountability and human rights in the region.
