The Politics of Language: Ruto Steps In to Defend Garissa Senator Abdul Haji

Mr Abass sparked outrage after he claimed that Senator Haji could not be able to communicate with his electorate because of his inability to speak Somali language.

Senator Haji being the son of octogenarian and prominent politician the late yussuf Haji who has worked in his formative years working as a civil servant have spent most of his life in other parts of the country, for this reason making his children inability to speak Somali language since they have been brought up in different places in the country.

President Ruto while defending Haji, said the running county doesn’t need Somali language, but expertise.

“I know people will go and compete and we will give everyone an opportunity, but if you have a constitutional requirement - which language is one of them,” he said.

Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi, who is the Council of Governors chairperson, also defended Senator Haji against his language barriers saying knowing Somali language will not deter one from working as county governor.

“As the chair of the Council of Governors, we don’t speak in Somali to run the county, I would like to ask the people of Garissa not to be jealous of one another,” he said.