The political landscape of Kenya is buzzing with a fresh and compelling narrative as Amina Halake, the wife of former presidential candidate Mohammed Abduba Dida, has officially declared her intention to contest for Kenya’s presidency in the highly anticipated 2027 General Election. This pivotal announcement, made during a televised interview with TV47, sees Halake not just as an aspirant but also as the newly confirmed leader of the Alliance for Real Change (ARC) party. Her assertion, "I am the party leader for Alliance for Real Change, not my husband Abduba Dida,” clearly delineates her independent political leadership.
Halake’s decision to seek Kenya’s highest office is rooted in a fervent belief that the time for female leadership has arrived. She articulated this conviction powerfully, stating, "This is the time for a woman president. Kenyans are fed up, tired and aware of what is going on. Everything is collapsing—even a two-year-old is a politician now.” Her confidence in navigating the rigorous demands of a presidential campaign stems from direct experience, as she explained, "I was involved in almost everything—the campaigns and his welfare at home. So there is nothing I do not know about the campaigns and strategies.”
This bold political venture unfolds against an intriguing personal backdrop concerning her husband, Mohammed Abduba Dida, who is currently out of the country. Dida, once recognized for his distinctive unorthodox campaign style and sharp rhetoric, was recently released on parole from the Big Muddy Correctional Centre in Illinois, United States. He had been serving a "seven-year prison sentence for stalking and issuing threats," stemming from two convictions: "one for transmitting threats (two years) and a second for aggravated stalking and violation of a restraining order (five years)." Dida was released on April 3, 2025, after serving "nearly two and a half years." The question of his support for Halake's presidential ambitions remains ambiguous. Halake herself admitted, "He may or may not support my presidential ambitions. When he comes back, maybe he may,” adding that while she had "hinted at her ambitions to him," they have not discussed the matter in depth.
Amina Halake’s entry into the presidential race adds her name to a distinguished but still "short but growing list of women who have sought Kenya’s highest office." She follows in the footsteps of pioneering figures such as Charity Ngilu (1997), Nazlin Omar (2007), Martha Karua (2013), and the late Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai (1997), symbolizing a continuing aspiration for female representation at the apex of Kenyan leadership.
Fundamentally, Halake states that her decision to run is driven by the country’s "deteriorating state." She cites critical issues such as "rising corruption, unresolved abductions, and extrajudicial killings" as core motivators for her candidacy. Her powerful declaration, “No one is being held accountable. This candidacy is not just ambition—it’s a response to a national crisis,” encapsulates the urgent call to action that defines her platform.
