Ruto Approves Naming of Wajir Stadium After Late Minister Ahmed Khalif
President William Ruto has approved the naming of the newly constructed Wajir Stadium after the late Ahmed Mohamed Khalif, honouring the region’s first Cabinet minister.
President William Ruto receives a guard of honour during the 63rd Madaraka Day celebrations in Wajir County on June 1, 2026. Photo/Courtesy
By Ruth Sang
President Ruto has now approved, sorta, the idea of calling the new Wajir Stadium after the late Ahmed Mohamed Khalif, you know, that major political person from the area, as a way to recognize what he did in public service.
This came out in the 63rd Madaraka Day celebrations held in Wajir County on Monday, right after Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi asked for it, saying it will properly honour a man who helped boost how the region shows up at the national level.
The governor then went back to his own memories, admitting he always held Khalif in high regard, and even said his first step into politics was basically when he supported Khalif’s parliamentary move.
“I am an accidental politician. I engaged in politics for the first time in 2002, not to contest but to help Ahmed Khalif, a man I admired, to reclaim his seat as his campaign manager,” Abdullahi said.
He added that naming the place after Khalif feels like a good, solid way to carry his legacy forward.
“It would be a befitting tribute for the people of Wajir to name this magnificent stadium the Ahmed Khalif Stadium,” he said.
Ahmed Mohamed Khalif, meanwhile, made history as the very first Cabinet Minister coming from the Wajir region, serving in the administration of former President Mwai Kibaki. He later died in a plane crash back in January 2003.
After hearing the governor, President William Ruto backed the request and promised to have the stadium completed properly, to match international standards
“I will make sure that it is complete and is built to international standards. I agree with you that this stadium should be called Ahmed Khalif Wajir Stadium,” the President said.
During the same remarks, an emotional Ruto also spoke about the tough historical realities Northern Kenya residents have had to face, including discrimination, and the difficulties people run into when trying to get national identification documents.
“I want to apologise on behalf of the people of Kenya. It was never meant to be this way. This has been a very emotional moment for me. People here deserve equal dignity and treatment under the law,” he said.
Ruto also clarified that the Presidential Proclamation on the Registration and Issuance of IDs and Birth Certificates in Northern Kenya, signed in February 2025, was never meant to open a door for foreigners to grab Kenyan papers in an illegal way.
“It was not an invitation for foreigners to acquire Kenyan documents illegally. Kenyan identity cards will only be issued to legitimate citizens of this Republic,” he stated.
He continued, adding:
“Our commitment to justice and inclusion goes hand in hand with our duty to protect the integrity of our national identity and the security of our country.”
Then, as part of the administration’s development push for the region, Ruto promised more investments in higher education, road systems, affordable homes, and healthcare services.
“We affirm that no community is peripheral to our national story. No child is too far away to deserve opportunity. No citizen is too distant to deserve dignity. No county is too remote to deserve development,” he said.
Those undertakings, overall, fall under a wider government plan meant to drive inclusion and speed development in areas that have long been left underserved.
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