The Pastoralists Rights and Advocacy Network (PARANET), in partnership with Media Citizen Fronts, has called on journalists in Wajir County to play a stronger role in promoting democratic accountability and scrutinising clan-based political arrangements commonly referred to as negotiated democracy.
The call was made during a journalists’ dialogue held at a hotel in Wajir, which brought together over 30 journalists from mainstream media, digital platforms and freelance practice.
Speaking on Saturday during the session, PARANET Programme Officer Ahmed Abdirashid described negotiated democracy as a system that limits transparency when leadership positions are determined through clan agreements.
“Where tribal political structures dominate, accountability is often lost,” said Abdirashid. “When leadership positions are predetermined, transparency becomes a bottleneck and development suffers.”
He urged journalists to critically interrogate political commitments ahead of the 2027 General Election and to hold leaders accountable beyond clan-based settlements.
“Journalists must report objectively and patriotically. The electorate deserves leaders of substance, not products of opaque political compacts,” he added.
On his part, governance expert Ahmed Alas, said negotiated democracy is often conducted away from public scrutiny, leaving journalists with limited room to interrogate the process.
“Journalists are usually engaged after deals have already been sealed,” said Alas.
“This turns leadership selection into a transactional process rather than a merit-based one, and in some cases outcomes appear predetermined.”
He noted that strict adherence to constitutional processes and open political competition could help reverse undemocratic practices in the region.
Participants agreed that the practice has contributed to corruption, nepotism and favoritism, slowing development in North Eastern counties.
Media Citizen Fronts pioneer Abdirahman Rashid Farah called on journalists to remain impartial and courageous in their reporting.
“The media must be professional and independent. Democracy thrives when journalists question power without fear,” he said.
By Hamdi Buthul
