A former refugee who fled genocide in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is seeking a seat in the Onondaga County Legislature. Bonnke Sekarore, a Republican, has launched his campaign for District 9, which includes Syracuse’s Northside and Washington Square neighborhoods.
Sekarore, 26, arrived in Syracuse as a child after spending years in a United Nations refugee camp in Burundi. He learned English, attended city schools, and graduated as valedictorian of Fowler High School in 2016. He went on to earn a degree in Industrial Management and Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute before returning to Syracuse, where he now works as an operations specialist for Wegmans Food Markets.
Republican leaders, including County Executive Ryan McMahon, Legislature Chairman Tim Burtis, and Young Republican Chairman Liam O’Connor, recruited Sekarore to run for the seat. McMahon expressed strong support for his candidacy.
"Bonnke is our star recruit on the Northside," McMahon said. "He’s the type of guy that knows his community like the back of his hand and rolls up his sleeves to get the job done."
Sekarore has been active in the community, founding the nonprofit Refugee & American Brotherhood, which mentors local youth. He also serves on the Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency’s Board of Directors and is involved with the Washington Square Neighborhood Task Force.
As he launches his campaign, Sekarore says he wants to address key issues affecting the Northside, including public safety, economic development, and infrastructure.
"The people of the Northside and the 9th District are hungry for change," he said. "From unsafe streets to lack of economic opportunities to crumbling infrastructure, our neighborhood deserves better than what we are getting right now, and we know it."
He will challenge Democratic incumbent Palmer Harvey in the election. Sekarore encouraged voters to learn more about his campaign by following him on Facebook at @BonnkeForLegislator.