Banisa by-election enters final stretch as UDA, UPA candidates intensify campaigns

With just 48 hours to polling day, the high-stakes two-horse race in the Banisa by-election has entered its most intense phase, as candidates and their supporters flood the constituency in a final push for votes.

United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate Ahmed Maalim Hassan and the United Progressive Alliance's Nurdin Maalim Mohamed have both mounted vigorous campaigns across Banisa's five most populous wards, each making a last-minute appeal to undecided voters in what is shaping up to be a tightly contested race.

The UDA candidate has received significant backing from top party officials. National party Secretary General Hassan Omar and United Democratic Movement (UDM) party leader and Mandera Senator Ali Roba, and Mandera Governor Mohamed Khalif have all joined him on the campaign trail in a show of political might.

This comes after a dramatic week in which Ahmed survived a court challenge seeking to block his candidacy on grounds of alleged dual citizenship. The petition argued he must first renounce foreign citizenship before contesting.

However, Justice Lawrence Mugambi dismissed the case, terming it premature, speculative, and without merit. The ruling sparked jubilation across Banisa, where his supporters welcomed him as a hero upon his return to the constituency.

His opponent, Nurdin, a trained nurse, is leaning on his long-standing service to communities in the region and his strong support within the Guranyua clan, the majority in Banisa Ward. Nurdin's grassroots visibility and familiarity with local issues have become central to his campaign messaging.

In a strategic twist, President William Ruto and UDM party leader Ali Roba reportedly brokered a deal that saw a third candidate, Adan Mohamed of Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), withdraw in favour of UDA's Ahmed after a State House meeting on September 17- an indication of how much political capital has been invested in this seat.

The UDA hopeful is also expected to gain sympathy support, following the death of his brother and former Banisa MP Kulow Maalim Hassan, who passed away in March 2023 after a hit-and-run motorcycle accident in Nairobi's South B. His death left the seat vacant, paving the way for this by-election.

In the North Eastern region, it is common for families of fallen leaders to receive strong backing from voters seeking continuity and closure, an advantage observers say could play in UDA candidates' favour.

Both candidates are aggressively pitching their agendas, focusing on: Road infrastructure, Education investment, Youth employment, Women empowerment, and Improved local services

As Banisa voters prepare to head to the polls, the race remains finely balanced. The final two days are expected to see heightened activity as both camps scramble to consolidate their bases and persuade fence-sitters.

Other Topics To Read

• Politics
• Headlines
• Ali Roba
• UDA
• banisa by-election
• Ahmed Maalim Hassan
• Nurdin Maalim Mohamed
• Kulow Maalim Hassan
• Banisa by-election enters final stretch as UDA
• UPA candidates intensify campaigns