Frontier Eye

𝗥𝘂𝘁𝗼 𝗨𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗶𝗹𝘀 𝗔𝗺𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝗺 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗜𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝟭.𝟱 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗞𝗲𝗻𝘆𝗮

Ruto Unveils Ambitious Dam Programme to Irrigate 1.5 Million Acres in Northern and Coastal Kenya. - Frontier Eye President William Ruto on Saturday announced an expansive national dam-building programme designed to irrigate 1.5 million acres in northern Kenya and the co...

𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗨𝗗𝗔’𝘀 𝗔𝗵𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝗠𝗮𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗺 𝗛𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗮 𝗕𝘆-𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗗𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗣𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

By Ali Sheikh
Nairobi | November 20, 2025

The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has received a major boost ahead of next week’s Banisa parliamentary by-election after the High Court dismissed a petition challenging the eligibility of its candidate, Ahmed Maalim Hassan, over allegations of dual citizenship.

In a ruling delivered on October 30, 2025, Justice Lawrence Mugambi rejected conservatory orders sought by petitioner Mohamedin Mohamed, a registered voter in Banisa, who argued that Hassan—cleared by the IEBC earlier that month—holds both Kenyan and British citizenship in violation of Article 99(2)(a) of the Constitution.

Justice Mugambi held that the petitioner failed to meet the legal threshold necessary to halt the electoral process, noting that suspending the poll—scheduled for November 27—would disrupt constitutionally mandated timelines.
“The application for conservatory orders lacks merit,” he ruled, directing that the main petition proceed on an expedited basis while the by-election moves forward uninterrupted.

The challenge emerged soon after UDA nominated Hassan on October 15, prompting Mohamed to file the suit on October 24, citing alleged discrepancies in Hassan’s passport records. The IEBC, however, had already dismissed the claims as “a blatant lie and fabrication,” with commissioners Marykaren Sorobit, Hassan Noor Hassan, and Anne Nderitu asserting that Hassan met all requirements. They added that if elected, he would only need to renounce any foreign citizenship before being sworn in as MP.

Hassan, is the younger brother of the late Banisa MP Kullow Maalim Hassan, who died on 28 March 2023. The constituency has therefore gone without an elected representative for more than two years—an absence that has intensified calls for renewed leadership.

His bid has been strongly backed by Banisa’s council of elders, who endorsed him to succeed his brother and restore continuity in development and representation.

UDA Secretary General Hassan Omar welcomed the judgment, calling it a “vindication of our candidate’s integrity” and urging supporters to concentrate on mobilizing voters.

Hassan, has been campaigning on infrastructure development, education, and youth empowerment, drawing significant crowds across pastoralist settlements.

Opposition rivals have continued to scrutinize the ruling. Aden Mohammed, the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) candidate—who recently dismissed speculation linking him to UDA—accused the ruling party of using state machinery to tilt the contest.

“The people of Banisa deserve a fair fight, not judicial shortcuts,” he told supporters at a rally on November 15.

The Banisa poll is among the most closely watched of the 24 by-elections being conducted nationwide, pitting UDA’s organisational strength against a fragmented opposition field.

With voting day nearing, the IEBC has intensified preparations, including voter education campaigns targeting low-literacy communities.

Turnout is projected at around 45%, consistent with previous by-elections in the region. Security agencies have also been deployed to manage tensions linked to clan rivalries.

While the court’s decision removes a key obstacle for UDA, analysts caution that the dual citizenship question may resurface should Hassan win, potentially becoming the subject of post-election litigation.

For Banisa’s 31,000 registered voters, the November 27 poll represents an opportunity to regain long-missed representation—and to press for renewed attention to an often-overlooked corner of the country.