Former NHIF boss eyes Wajir governorship

Current Wajir Governor Ahmed Mukhtar during a previous press conference.

Former NHIF chief executive officer Hassan Adam yesterday declared interest in Wajir governorship and challenged residents to use leadership qualities and track record in the management of public entities as the yardstick to pick candidates.

Dr Adam who is the proprietor of the Nairobi South Hospital said he is best placed to take over the county leadership owing to his experience in management of the health and private sector. 

In a region where elders hold the key in picking candidates in what is known as negotiated democracy it is a matter of wait and see who will take over as governor following dispute over the process.

Adam and a section of leaders across the region disapproved the negotiated democracy pending verdict of the appeal after his Fai sub-clan Sultanate favoured Hassan Wehliye.

The Fai sub-clan of the Degodia in October last year endorsed Wehliye however a group of religious leaders dissatisfied with the verdict appealed the Sultanate declaration. The elders are now expected to make public the appeal judgement on January 15.

"After wide consultation, I became convinced that Wajir county needs a leader with the experience, the expertise and the knowledge to make the change it so desires," Adam said.

He did not however criticize the October Fai verdict that favoured his opponent, insisting that the county needs a manager with experience.

"Today, I officially launched my campaign to be the next governor of Wajir County because among the problems Wajir has today, the health sector is the most ailing and need proper management," he added.

He joins other politicians from the region who distanced themselves from the so called negotiated democracy like Garissa Township MP, Aden Duale, Education CAS Hassan Noor and Ugaas Sheikh.

In the letter submitted two weeks ago, Sheikhs Osman Mohamed Ismail, Mohamud Mohamed Kalil, Hirab Hillow Osman and Idris Musa Mumin said they disagree with the Sultanate verdict.

“We respectfully disagree with the outcome and seek that the decision be set aside,” the letter addressed to the Fai Sulatane and signed by the four clerics under the Muntada Ulama Fai, read in part.

The clerics demanded the Sultanate makes public the scores of the three candidates which saw them endorse Wehliye.

Adam was in 1995 appointed the Medical Superintendent at the Pumwani Hospital. He was a member of a presidential task force formed by the late President Moi to improve healthcare services in the former Nairobi province.

He became the Medical Officer of Health in Nairobi after his stint at Pumwani came to an end. Later, he was appointed as the Director of the Division of Family Health, responsible for the health of the mother and child in Kenya.

In 2002, he joined the Department of Primary Health Care as the director at the Ministry Headquarters. This was inclusive of all departments except hospitals.

Between 2003 and 2005, Adam served as the NHIF Chief Executive Officer.