President William Ruto has reappointed Wajir politician Shallow Abdullahi Yahya as the non-executive Chairperson of the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA).
Through a gazette notice, Ruto revealed that Yahya would serve for an additional three years at the helm of the government institution.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by section 8 (1)(a) of the National Drought Management Authority Act, I, William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, reappoint Shallow Abdullahi Yahya to be the non-executive Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the National Drought Management Authority, for three years,” the notice read.
He was appointed to this position by Ruto and assumed office in early 2024, taking over from his predecessor, Raphael Nzomo.
Before his appointment, Yahya contested the Wajir senatorial seat in the 2022 General Election.
He ran against the eventual winner, Abass Sheikh Mohamed. The election was closely fought, with Shallow Abdullahi Yahya polling 33,580 votes against Mohamed’s 36,201 votes.
Despite the loss, Yahya has expressed his desire to vie for elective office in the upcoming 2027 polls. On July 12, he revealed that he had received endorsement from members of his community to contest the Wajir North parliamentary seat.
In his reappointment, Yahya will lead the board in guiding the authority’s strategic direction, ensuring it fulfils its mandate of preventing and mitigating the effects of drought on communities and the environment.
NDMA plays a central role in coordinating drought risk management across the country.
Its work includes establishing and operating early warning systems, preparing national and county contingency plans, and ensuring effective coordination among government agencies, non-governmental organisations, and community groups during drought situations.
Yahya was the second appointment made by Ruto, following the appointment of Charles Karondo as the Chair of the Communications Authority.
Karondo’s appointment triggered the revocation of Mary Wambui, famously known as ‘Wambui wa Ruto’, from the same position.
