8 Kenyan Somali Politicians And Leaders Who Could One Day Become President
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There are at least 2,780,502 Somalis in Kenya, according to data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS).
This makes Somalis the 6th largest ethnic community in the country.
In this article, WoK features seven powerful Kenyan Somali politicians who could one day become president.
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Aden Duale
Aden Duale is one of the most popular and vocal Kenyan Somali politicians. He currently serves as Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Health.
Duale began his political career in 2007 as the MP for Dujis Constituency. He later represented Garissa township when the constituency’s boundaries were changed.
During former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration, Duale served as Kenya’s first Majority Leader under the 2010 Constitution between 2013 and 2020.
Under President Ruto’s administration, he served as Cabinet Secretary for Defence (2022-2024) and Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry (2024-2025).
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Ali Ibrahim Roba
Ali Ibrahim Roba is another Kenyan politician whose influence among the Somali community may prompt him to seek the country’s top office one day.
He is best known for being the first Governor of Mandera County under the 2010 constitution, serving two terms from 2013 to 2022.
In 2022, he was elected as senator for Mandera County under the banner of the United Democratic Movement (UDM).
Roba is a trained pilot and a holder of a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Nairobi.
He also holds a master’s degree from the University of Nairobi, specializing in strategic management.
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Amina Mohamed
Amina Chawahir Mohamed Jibril was one of the most prominent cabinet secretaries under Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration.
She served as Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Education, and Sports, Culture and Heritage under Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration.
Born in Kakamega in 1961, Mohamed studied law before embarking on a highly impressive diplomatic career.
She served as Kenya’s ambassador and permanent representative in Geneva and was the first woman to chair the World Trade Organization’s General Council.
She also served as United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme.
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Ahmed Abdullahi Jiir
Ahmed Abdullahi Jiir was the first governor of Wajir County.
He lost the seat in 2017 but reclaimed it successfully in 2022. Abdullahi has previously served as chairperson of the Council of Governors.
In that position, he represented Kenya’s 47 county governments in discussions involving healthcare, county financing and relations with the national government.
He handed over the Council’s leadership in October 2026.
According to Daily Nation, Abdullahi has already expressed interest in contesting the Wajir Senate seat in 2027.
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Adan Abdulla Mohamed
Adan Abdulla Mohamed is the current Commissioner General of the Kenya Revenue Authority.
Abdulla was born in Mandera County.
He graduated from the University of Nairobi with a first-class Bachelor of Commerce degree and later earned an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Before joining government, he served as Chief Executive Officer of Barclays Kenya.
In 2013, President Uhuru Kenyatta appointed him Cabinet Secretary for Industrialisation.
He later served as Cabinet Secretary for East African Community and Regional Development.
Mohamed contested the Mandera governorship in 2022 but lost.
In May 2026, he was appointed Commissioner General of the Kenya Revenue Authority.
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Farah Maalim
Farah Maalim is one of Kenya’s longest-serving Somali politicians.
He first entered Parliament in 1992 as Lagdera MP and later returned to the National Assembly after the 2007 elections.
Between 2008 and 2013, he served as Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly.
He returned to Parliament in 2022 as the Member for Dadaab constituency.
However, despite his political success, Maalim’s career has attracted controversy.
In 2024, he was expelled from the Wiper Party after a video of him saying that if he were president, he would have ordered the killing of thousands of anti-finance bill protesters, was circulated online.
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Noordin Haji
Noordin Haji is another influential Kenyan Somali leader who has held senior positions in the country.
Haji served as Director of Public Prosecutions before President Ruto appointed him Director-General of the National Intelligence Service in 2023.
His father, the late Yusuf Haji, was a longtime Cabinet minister and Garissa Senator.
Noordin holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and a Master of Laws (LLM) from the University of Wales, Cardiff.
He also holds a Master’s in National Security Policy from the Australian National University.
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Mohammed Abduba Dida
Mohammed Abduba Dida needs no introduction, unless you’re new to Kenya’s political scene.
He contested for the presidential seat in 2013 and 2017.
Born in Wajir in 1975 to a Borana father and Somali mother, Dida worked as a teacher before entering national politics.
In 2013, his unconventional campaign style attracted widespread attention.
Dida ran on the Alliance for Real Change ticket, where he finished fifth with 52,848 votes (0.43%).
In 2017, he received 61,969 votes (0.48%).
Reports suggest that Dida currently lives in the United States, where he was arrested and convicted in 2022 over domestic disputes with his wife.
