Retired chief apologises to Duale, MPs over citizenship remarks

Retired Mandera Chief Mohamed Hajji Bullow (right) addresses a press conference in Nairobi alongside community elders and family members on February 4, 2026. [Benard Orwongo, Standard]

Retired Mandera Chief Mohamed Hajji Bullow on Wednesday apologised after remarks questioning the citizenship of North Eastern leaders triggered political backlash.

Bullow made the controversial statements over the weekend during a church service attended by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

 The remarks, which later went viral, targeted several leaders from the North-Eastern region.

In his speech, Bullow criticised Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, Eldas MP Adan Keynan and Dadaab MP Farah Maalim.

Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, flanked by community elders, members of the sultanate and his family, Bullow apologised and announced his resignation from the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), saying he had been misled.

Bullow had been serving as the organising secretary of the DCP League.

He admitted to wrongly identifying businessman Abdulweli Hassan Mohammed as a non-Kenyan, saying the claim was made in error due to a mix-up of names.

"The person whom I named as a non-Kenyan, Mr Abdulweli Hassan Mohammed, was mentioned in error. He comes from my area and is a bona fide Kenyan. I was referring to someone else with a similar name, which led to the confusion," Bullow said.

"I therefore apologise publicly for denouncing him and for denying him his right as a Kenyan. I humbly request him and all Kenyans to accept my apology," he added.

Bullow also apologised to the senior leaders from the region.

"I am requesting CS Duale and long-serving MPs Adan Keynan and Farah Maalim to kindly accept my apologies. They are important leaders within the Somali community and have a significant voice. Going forward, I promise not to use vulgar or disrespectful language against them," he noted.

"I am defecting from the DCP party because my continued stay there is no longer tenable. The party has no clear agenda and is driven by personal issues. Its leaders thrive on abusive language, and I do not want to be associated with that," he added.

His apology comes amid heightened political tensions following remarks made two weeks ago by Gachagua.

The former deputy president criticised a section of Northern Kenya leaders, arguing that despite receiving devolved funding since 2013, the region had failed to build strong public institutions and should stop seeking special treatment.