Hon. Dr. Capt. Ali Ibrahim Roba, EGH, MP, DBA, is a Kenyan statesman, strategic-management scholar, veteran aviator and business leader. He serves as Senator for Mandera County, Chairperson of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Budget, and Party Leader of the United Democratic Movement (UDM). His career brings together experience in county government, national policymaking, international aviation and humanitarian service.
As the founding Governor of Mandera County, Dr. Roba led the establishment of its devolved government and oversaw annual recurrent and development expenditure exceeding USD 100 million. His administration prioritised healthcare, water, roads, education and urban development, expanding essential services in a county long affected by marginalisation and infrastructure deficits.
His tenure saw the development of more than 70 additional health facilities, growth in the health workforce from approximately 150 to 1,100, and an increase in doctors from one to 87, including the introduction of specialist services. Other achievements included more than 2,000 kilometres of all-weather roads, investment in water infrastructure, construction of training institutions and 1,080 housing units for internally displaced families. The Mandera Greening Programme combined environmental restoration with support for vulnerable mothers.
His regional leadership included the Frontier Counties Development Council, which brought together ten counties covering approximately 67 per cent of Kenya’s landmass. The Council provided a platform for joint resource mobilisation, regional investment and advocacy for frontier communities. Under his stewardship, the bloc helped mobilise approximately KSh 200 billion in World Bank financing for interventions that evolved into the Horn of Africa Gateway Development Project. He also chaired the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands Committee of the Council of Governors, representing the interests of 23 ASAL counties.
Since his election to the Senate in 2022, Dr. Roba has helped shape legislation and deliberations on revenue sharing, county allocations and the financing of devolved services. As Chairperson of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Budget, he leads consideration of key fiscal instruments and champions equitable resource distribution, stronger financial accountability and predictable funding for counties.
As Party Leader of UDM, he provides strategic direction to a party represented across several levels of elected government. His political advocacy emphasises inclusive development, effective devolution and greater opportunity for communities in Kenya’s arid and semi-arid regions.
Before entering politics, Dr. Roba built an international aviation career spanning complex humanitarian operations across Africa and Asia. An Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) holder with more than 6,500 flight hours, he flew missions supporting organisations including the World Food Programme, the International Committee of the Red Cross and European Union humanitarian programmes. During his decade at DAC Aviation International, he rose from co-pilot to Director of Flight Operations, overseeing activities across nine countries. His professional qualifications also include Training and Check Pilot and approved Instrument Rating Examiner.
Dr. Roba holds a Doctor of Business Administration in Strategic Management from the United States International University–Africa, graduating on 26 September 2026. He also holds a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Nairobi. His doctoral research examines aviation safety management systems and sustainable competitive advantage in Kenyan aviation companies, connecting his operational experience with the study of organisational performance.
Through the Ali Roba Foundation, registered in September 2023, he supports food relief, education, youth livelihoods and women’s economic empowerment. Its initiatives include assistance to drought-affected households, support for mosques and madrasas, and motorcycle-based livelihood opportunities for young people. The Foundation’s 2026 drought and Ramadan programme targeted 11,600 families across Mandera’s six constituencies.
Dr. Roba is also Chairman of the Richland Group of Companies, whose business interests span private security, hospitality, real estate, agriculture and other commercial ventures. His business leadership complements his experience in public administration and strategic management, with an emphasis on enterprise growth, employment creation and professional service delivery.
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