Wajir Woman Rep clarifies controversial election rigging remarks

Wajir Woman Representative Fatuma Jehow has come to her own defence over remarks that sparked uproar online, stressing she never implied any election rigging.

Speaking during a public event in Lagdera Constituency, Wajir, on Sunday, August 24, 2025, where Deputy President Kithure Kindiki was also present, the MP admitted she “slipped” in her choice of words.

“Juzi kidogo niliteleza, kuna maneno nilisema niliteleza kidogo na meno ikaenea kwa mtandao. Leo nataka nirekebishe…” she told the gathering.

Loosely translating, she said: “The other day I slipped, I said some words that spread all over social media. Today, I want to correct them.”

Emphasis on IDs

The legislator stressed that the real “weapon” for her community lay in acquiring national identity cards and exercising their right to vote.

She reminded residents that President William Ruto recently scrapped a decades-old requirement that had historically limited ID issuance in Northern Kenya.

“Silaha yetu ni kura. Mheshimiwa Rais alitoa mambo ya vetting. Tutachukua ID, tutapiga kura na hiyo ndiyo itakuwa silaha yetu,” she added.

Translation: “Our weapon is the vote. The President removed vetting. We will take IDs, we will vote, and that will be our weapon.”

Rigging remarks backlash

The clarification comes months after Jehow sparked outrage on Saturday, July 12, 2025, when, during a public meeting where she declared that leaders from the North Eastern region were ready to rig the 2027 elections in favour of President William Ruto.

“Sisi wabunge wa North Eastern maneno ya President, tunasema ‘tutam’, hata kama hatutakua na votes tutamwibia… hio si siri,” she said at the time. She went further to dismiss concerns about the region’s low voter numbers,

Succession politics

The MP further underscored her support for Deputy President Kindiki, stating that leadership should rotate within the Kenya Kwanza coalition.“Rais akitoka miaka tano, naibu wa rais amalize miaka tano, hiyo ingine ni yetu. Tusi danganyane,” she said.

Translation: “When the President finishes five years, the Deputy President should also finish five years, and then it will be our turn. Let’s not deceive one another.”