Campaigns for the Garissa Township constituency by-election have come to an end with various candidates expressing confidence of a win.
The seat fell vacant following the resignation of former MP Aden Duale, who was appointed Defence CS by President William Ruto.
Candidates mounted intense campaigns over the last two weeks as they crisscrossed the cosmopolitan constituency in search of votes.
Duale vigorously campaigned for UDA candidate Major Rtd Mohamed Barrow Dekow.
Dekow is up against Nasir Dolal Mohamed commonly known by his supporters as Jofle of the Ali Roba led United Democratic Movement.
Others are former Fafi MP Abdikarim Osman (Democratic Party), Ali Mohamed (Usawa Kwa Wote), Shurie Ibrahim Malow (Nark Kenya), Hassan Abdi (Safina), Abdifaisal Amin (ODM) and Muhiadin Abdirashid of DAP-Kenya.
Local political pundits have however billed the race as a two-horse race.
Dekow contested for Garissa governor’s seat on UDA, coming a distant third with 13,602 votes against Ali Korane of Jubilee Party with 26,148 as Nathif Jama (ODM) won the race with 69,342 votes.
Dolal has sought the Garissa Township seat through ODM since 2013 and has been finishing second behind CS Duale.
He managed 5,972 votes against Duale’s 9,905 in the August 9 election.
Duale and Senator Roba are using the by-election to flex their political muscles as each side seeks to prove relevance in North Eastern politics.
“This by-election is an acid text to the two political king pins as they seek to prove their political supremacy in this region. Whoever wins will have the last laugh,” Abdi Hussein a local political pundit said.
He said Duale is a seasoned politician who has built his political fun base for the last 15 years.
“He has grown from a political novice to a such strong politician with a near fanatical following. If his entire support base can vote for his candidate of choice to the last man, then Dekow will have a head start," Hussein said.
He added that Duale is a political chess master who has studied and mastered Garissa Township politics.
“He has been re-elected on different political parties. He first joined Garissa politics on ODM, ran on URP and won, then on Jubilee and was recently re-elected on UDA ticket. Duale's defeat would mean end an of an era for him,” Hussein said.
The political pundit said Abdullahi Gabane's move to ditch Azimio will also work in favour of Dekow.
Gabane who in the August election contested for the Township MP seat and bagged 5,552 votes has thrown his weight behind the UDA candidate.
Speaking to the press on Wednesday, Duale exuded confidence that Dekow will win by a landslide urging voters to come out in large numbers and vote.
“All communities residing in Garissa have unanimously endorsed Dekow's candidature. This is one seat that I am more than sure UDA will take home,” Duale said.
He however, urged residents to remain peaceful before, during and after the poll and let the electoral body do their work.
