Written By Ramadhan Kambi 📝
There was excitement in Lamu after a woman was cleared by the IEBC to vie for the governor position, making a history to the historical county.
And if the residents go all their way to elect Ms Umra Omar, then a history will have been written in that region.
Ms Omar a native Lamu resident with international connections, beat all odds to declare interest in the county’s top seat in an area known for cultural ties and ancient Islamic roots which normally don’t prioritise women in leadership.
She says that she is determined to change the narrative and is banking on her international connections, wealth in education, and her humbleness to win the hearts of the people to elect her to the highest office.
She is aged below 40 but despite her young she is determined to battle out with senior politicians who are also men in the race expected to be tight.
“We have a bigger picture of how to make Lamu great. Using our cultural heritage and the many resources available then this county stands at the better position in potential growth. So we are prepared to bring these changes to our people,” she said.
Already the Independent elections and Boundary Commission (IEBC) has already cleared Omar together with her deputy Former Lamu West MP Julius Ndegwa to vie for the seat and will face off with the incumbent Governor Fahim Twaha of Jubilee party, the first Governor of Lamu Issa Timammy of Narc Kenya and former deputy Governor in Timammy’s Administration Eric Mugo of Narc Kenya.
Ms Omar proved she is strong in the race based on the magnitude of the supporters who turned up from all corners of Lamu to escort her for clearance so as to make sure all was well.
They came in style with boats and danced songs praising her while carrying placards before they alighted and teamed up in hundreds then proceeded in a large procession along the seafront to the Lamu fort.
Immediately after being cleared and handed over the certificate by the County procession Returning Officer (CRO) Maro Ade, she told journalists that her vision is to place Lamu on the world map as an economic hub to attract many international investors.
She said her government will set up policies that will easily attract investors so as to create job opportunities for the residents and boost the economy.
As a mother from Lamu Omar said her administration will focus on building the economy of Lamu education, and health among many other important issues required at the grassroots.
“Our leadership will be different because it will be gearing at delivering services to the grassroots, we shall stop importing employees from outside or issue tenders from outside the county core issues such as the Land problem will be addressed because fellow mothers are suffering,” she said.
Further, she said her aim is to unite all the people of Lamu regardless of their ethnic or religious differences.
The Lamu Gubernatorial hopeful said her administration will also make sure resources of Lamu are used to Build the county as opposed to develop Mombasa or Nairobi counties.
Due to challenges such as Climate Change and Women’s Rights that are global, she said her administ5ration would also go outside the county to the other parts of the globe.
Currently, she said there is Lapsset which has interests all over the world together with the Climate Injustice which all give the county an opportunity to tap into the global market.
Omar participated in the World Economic Forum and some of the issues discussed were health in the grassroots, empowering, and working with community health workers who are currently not factored in the county budget.
“I would urge residents of Lamu to move away from politics of narrow paths (vichochoroni) and focus on going up, with the help of God I believe we shall be able to be known all over the world,” she said.
Omar has been running an NGO ‘Safari Doctors’ that works with the Communities living within the Boni forest who are a minority with many challenges for the last seven years.
With such rich knowledge of the grassroots and little funding, she said the project has been a success and is confident that once elected and with the budget allocated by the National government Lamu would be able to transform economically.
She said the Clearance process was very smooth and they are now prepared to go to the grassroots to convince the people to vote for them.
On his part, the Deputy Governor Designate said he was happy that they have now been cleared after the long journey since they started that was full of rumormongering (udaku) which had finally come to an end in readiness for the campaigns.
“We thank the IEBC they have received us well and took us through well, we have taken a very short time, it’s a journey we planned together and we shall travel the journey together, “said the former Lamu West MP.
He said right now they are going to hit the ground to campaign peacefully so as to emerge victorious on August 9.
