Battle on for Garissa seats as politics take shape

Battleline has now been drawn in Garissa politics with key politicians naming their preferred candidates for various seats as the road to the 2022 election takes shape.

During Deputy President William Ruto’s visit to the county, it gave a glimpse of a titanic battle ahead of a friend turned foe and close relatives going for each other.

While Garissa Township MP Aden Duale and his UDA brigade have made their lineup known, the council of elders who are seemingly pro handshake have unveiled their candidates.

In the devolution era, politics surrounds clan elders who play key roles as their endorsements to run for elective positions gives candidates upper hands and much-needed legitimacy over others.

However, going by the happenings in recent months, things are seemingly changing.

A group of current and aspiring politicians are coming out to question the mandate of the clan elders from major subclans of Abudwaq, Samawathal and Aulihian.

Garissa politics will take different dimensions or shapes compared to the last polls with strong resistance to the elders’ choice.

The Abduwak elders endorsed Governor Ali Korane to defend his seat while naming other candidates who will go for various seats.

Dekow Maalim Sambul who is the Sultan of the elders named Udgoon Siyad to run for the county’s women rep.

He endorsed Issa Yarow Kahin for Balambala MP while the current Fafi MP Abdikarim Osman was poised to defend his seat.

The elders endorsed Siyad Osman for Garissa Township parliamentary seat currently held by Duale.

Sambul said the decision was reached by different subclans and he only endorsed the verdict insisting that each candidate has the right to any seat.

Following the endorsement, Duale criticised the elders on what he said was endorsing candidates with questionable integrity and elders should stay out of politics.

“The voters are to decide on who to elect,” Duale said during his visit to  Garissa Township.

The three-term lawmaker questioned why elders did not ask about mismanagement of funds in the devolved units and problems including lack of water and poor health provisions within the county.

During DP Ruto’s popularisation of his bottom-up economic model in the county, Duale who will battle it through UDA ticket introduced his lineup 

He introduced Former military man Dekow Mohamed to run for the gubernatorial seat to battle it out with the incumbent Ali Korane, Former Governor Nathif Jama, Botswana envoy and former Lagdera MP Mohamed Shidiye.

In the run-up to the 2017 elections, Duale and Korane both from the Abduwak clan were elected through the Jubilee coalition.

They entered into a coalition with their Samawathal clan. An arrangement that was known as Tolomoge alliance had key seats shared amongst the clans.

Nathif Jama who comes from the Aulihan clan has been making inroads to take advantage of their rivals divisions.

He faces stiff competition within with shidiye’s entrance into the race.

Edited by Kiilu Damaris