Mandera Deputy Governor Ali Maalim Mohamed has sparked political debate after telling residents that anyone who associates with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua or his Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) should be regarded as somebody who has eaten pork.

The deputy governor made the remarks on Saturday, July 18, 2026, during Parents’ Day celebrations at Mandera Integrated Academy, where he urged residents of Mandera and the wider Northern Kenya region to remain firmly behind President William Ruto.

His comments came as he rallied support for the Kenya Kwanza administration ahead of the 2027 General Election and encouraged residents to take advantage of the government’s decision to abolish the vetting process that had previously been required for national identity card applicants in parts of Northern Kenya.

Speaking to the gathering, Maalim said the region had already settled on its political direction and would continue supporting President Ruto.

“We are very, very clear in terms of the direction this region is going. Our direction is to go with His Excellency William Samoei Ruto. We are not stammering about that. We are very straightforward about it,” he said.

He then directed his message to the Muslim community, using a religious comparison to discourage support for Gachagua and DCP.

“As a community, especially the Muslim community, we have decided that anybody who is seen with regard to Gachagua or the so-called DCP is going to be considered as somebody who has eaten pork,” Maalim said.

He repeated the statement for emphasis before switching between Swahili and Somali as he continued addressing the crowd.

Pork is prohibited in Islam, making the deputy governor’s remarks particularly significant because Mandera County has an overwhelmingly Muslim population.

Calls for Northern Kenya unity

During the speech, Maalim also appealed to residents across Northern Kenya to stand together politically.

He called on people from Mandera and neighbouring counties to demonstrate their numerical strength and remain united behind the government.

“We want to request all the people of Mandera to ensure, and all the people of Northern Kenya, including the five counties, Tana River, Isiolo, Marsabit and even Turkana, to make sure that as pastoralists, as Northerners, we show our numbers and we show it strong,” he said.

He argued that the region should take advantage of the lifting of the long-standing vetting process for identity cards, saying the change offered an opportunity for more eligible residents to obtain national identification documents.

The government scrapped the extra vetting requirement earlier this year as part of reforms affecting border counties. The process had for decades attracted criticism from leaders and human rights groups, who argued that it delayed or denied many Kenyan citizens access to national identity cards.

Political backdrop

The deputy governor’s remarks come amid growing political competition as leaders position themselves ahead of the 2027 elections.

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has intensified efforts to build support through DCP following his split with President Ruto. He has also sought to strengthen ties with communities outside the Mt Kenya region, including the Somali community.

In a recent interview, Gachagua rejected claims that there was hostility between the Somali community and people from the Mt Kenya region.

He said the two communities had built strong social and economic ties over many years and insisted they should not be divided by politics.

“The Somali community and the Mt Kenya community cannot be separated,” Gachagua said, arguing that both communities have made significant contributions to Kenya’s economy through trade and entrepreneurship.

He also dismissed claims that he held negative views about the Somali community, saying such claims were false and urging leaders to promote unity instead of division.

Maalim’s speech nevertheless left little doubt about where Mandera’s county leadership stands politically.

He repeatedly declared support for President Ruto and urged residents not to waver.

“We have not changed much,” he told the gathering. “Our direction is to go with His Excellency William Samoei Ruto.”

The remarks come as Mandera leaders continue to feature prominently in national political debates. Earlier this year, Governor Mohamed Adan Khalif’s administration came under Senate scrutiny over expenditure on seedlings, relief food and emergency programmes. The controversy sparked criticism from former Mandera Senator Billow Kerrow, who questioned the county’s spending priorities.