STORM BREWING: Wajir West Residents Demand Lifestyle Audit as MP Farah’s Wealth Raises Eyebrows

WAJIR—A political tempest is gathering momentum in Wajir West Constituency where angry residents have launched a withering attack on their MP Yussuf Farah, demanding investigators probe what they term his “suspicious accumulation of wealth” since entering Parliament.

In a dramatic petition to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, Directorate of Criminal Investigations and other watchdog agencies, constituents have painted a damning picture of a legislator they claim has prioritized personal enrichment over public service.

The controversy centers on Farah, who locals say is widely known as Yussuf Muliyo, a businessman with extensive interests in the construction sector who appears to have leveraged his political position for spectacular financial gain that has left many constituents questioning the source of his rapidly expanding empire.

Muliyo, who rode into Parliament on an ODM ticket after defeating former county supremo Mohamed Mohamed in the 2017 general election, now finds himself in the crosshairs of an increasingly restless electorate that accuses him of betraying the very people who handed him power.

According to explosive claims contained in the petition, companies closely associated with the MP have been feasting on lucrative government contracts with alarming regularity. The list of alleged beneficiaries reads like a who’s who of Farah’s business empire including Flexible Limited, Baraki International and Skyline Construction, all reportedly securing multiple deals from national agencies including the Kenya Urban Roads Authority, Kenya Rural Roads Authority and various county administrations.

The pattern, residents argue, presents a troubling tapestry of potential conflict of interest that demands urgent scrutiny.

But the accusations do not stop at business dealings alone. Constituents have turned their guns on what they describe as Farah’s near-total absence from the constituency, with his visits allegedly limited to brief Nairobi stopovers where he moves from one government office to another chasing tender applications and project approvals.

This approach, petitioners contend, reflects a calculated prioritization of private financial interests over the delivery of public service, leaving constituents high and dry while their elected representative builds a personal fortune.

The MP’s problems are compounded by his membership in the National Assembly’s Public Investments and Accounts Committee, a crucial watchdog body tasked with examining reports and accounts of public investments and scrutinizing government procurement processes. Critics question how a legislator allegedly benefiting from the very systems he is meant to oversee can provide impartial oversight.

Further salt is being rubbed into the wound by Farah’s reported close working relationship with Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi, who himself bounced back into the county’s top seat in the 2022 general election. Abdullahi, who previously ran on the ODM party ticket, had served as Wajir county boss during the first devolution period between 2013 and 2017 before losing to Mohamed Mohamed’s Jubilee party.

The cozy relationship between the two politicians has raised uncomfortable questions about potential patronage networks and whether public resources are being deployed for private benefit.

Residents paint a picture of an MP who has essentially abandoned structured engagement with his constituency, preferring instead to operate through what they describe as a shadowy network of aides and political allies who provide secondhand information about developments on the ground. This approach, they argue, deliberately limits the electorate’s ability to interact directly with their representative while simultaneously undermining transparency and accountability.

The timing of these allegations could not be more politically sensitive. With the next general election looming and constituents already expressing deep dissatisfaction, Farah finds himself fighting not just for his political future but potentially his reputation and freedom.

Anti-corruption agencies are now under mounting pressure to respond decisively to the petition and demonstrate that no elected official, regardless of position or connections, stands above the law.

As the storm clouds gather over Wajir West, all eyes will be watching to see whether investigators will rise to the challenge and conduct the thorough lifestyle audit that residents are demanding. For Yussuf Farah, the coming weeks and months could prove to be the most challenging of his political career.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​