It is no doubt that Garissa county has produced a number of the country's most respected leaders, both locally and nationally.
Among the popular public figures from the region include the National Assembly majority leader Aden Duale, Senator Yusuf Haji among many others.
However, it is emerging that Senator Yusuf Haji could be the most influential of all North Eastern leaders. Going by past and even the most recent political developments in the region, it can confidently be argued that Haji has amassed influence since the Moi era when he worked as Assistant Minister for Defence.
What is even more convincing is the fact that since the advent of devolution, Haji was popularly voted in as the Garissa Senator and he is serving his second term with little opposition.
Prior to the 2017 general elections, the legislator never engaged in much politicking, a thing that motivated his rivals to push on with the hope of trouncing him. Come to the declaration of results, Haji was leading by a very wide margin.
Just this week when Duale was facing stiff opposition from regional leadership, he ran to the senator for refuge while claiming that the latter was the most seasoned politician in the region.
"As the longest serving civil servant and politician from our region, we seek his guidance in many issues and as the leaders of the houses, we work together on the interest of the community and the nation," Duale wrote on his Facebook as he hosted Haji in his office.
Considering these events, it could be argued that Senator Haji is the most influential politician in the entire North Eastern region.
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