Kenyans have been thrust into debate after newly elected Banisa Member of Parliament Ahmed Maalim Hassan made a startling admission regarding the just-concluded by-election.
Speaking shortly after receiving his certificate, the UDA legislator openly revealed that his team had to “bring back” voters from Ethiopia and neighbouring counties to secure his victory.
In a statement captured on a Daily Nation graphic dated December 3, 2025, Ahmed Maalim disclosed that many of the people who eventually voted for him had migrated deep into Ethiopia’s interior.
“The people who voted for us… we had to bring them in from the interior of Ethiopia and neighbouring counties because they had left,” he stated.
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His admission has sparked intense public debate, with many Kenyans questioning how such a situation was possible and what it reveals about the state’s ability to safeguard its citizens, particularly in border regions like Mandera.
The remarks have also raised concerns about election integrity, population displacement, and the logistical challenges faced in frontier constituencies.
According to Maalim, the voters in question were Kenyan citizens who had moved across the border due to insecurity and harsh living conditions.
His team therefore undertook efforts to trace them, persuade them to return temporarily, and participate in the electoral process.
While the MP framed the effort as a necessary step to ensure representation, many Kenyans online argue that the statement exposes deeper systemic issues the government must urgently address.
President William Ruto has now been urged by locals, leaders, and civil rights commentators to develop stronger policies that guarantee the safety and stability of Kenyans living along the Ethiopia–Kenya border.
Analysts say that without long-term investment and security reforms, regions like Mandera will continue to experience mass migration, economic stagnation, and strained political participation.
The revelation has amplified calls for the government to protect its citizens, strengthen border security, and make northern Kenya a place where people not only feel safe but can also invest and build lasting livelihoods.
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