NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 2 – A section of leaders from the northeastern region have unveiled a new political outfit to champion the interests of Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) ahead the 2022 general elections.
In a joint press statement read by Garissa Senator Abdul Haji following a meeting convened by Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani, the new outfit named UPYA seeks to negotiate for socio-economic investment and development for the region.
“UPYA movement will unite residents from ASAL areas to articulate a common political position and objectives for the 2022 election and negotiate for development,” the Senator stated.
Haji said that the UPYA movement will unite leaders keen on seeing the development of the ASAL region which they said had been marginalized for decades.
The Senator added that the outfit will be a grassroots-oriented and participatory movement which listens to the region’s residents and give them a chance to express their views in order to formulate strategies aimed at narrowing ASAL area’s development gap.
Eldas MP Adan Keynan said that in the past the region has been supporting other groups but they had decided to chat a new path.
“In the past we’ve been flower girls or flower boys for different groupings. This time around because we occupy 70 per cent of the landmass of the Republic of Kenya, we have decided as a group to support the initiative by President Uhuru Kenyatta, the handshake and the OKA group,” he said.
Keynan called on supporters of the movement to join the initiative saying it will give them a seat at the table where critical decisions are made.
Yatani, who also spoke during the briefing, said that the ASAL region has a huge resource potential but their voices as the region has not been heard in terms of getting together to participate in a political movement.
“We’ve e unanimously agreed that we are going to take ourselves seriously for the benefit of our people speak in one voice to ensure that we will not be left behind in the current political discussions,” said CS Yatani.
Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo termed the new outfit as a big step for the pastoralist communities saying the movement will unify the region.
“As leaders from ASAL areas we’ve decided to meet to unite our people in order to avoid being left out in the ongoing political movements and agreed to have a movement that will bring us together,” she said.
The leaders declared their support both for President Uhuru Kenyatta and his handshake partner Raila Odinga.
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