Ruto locks Raila, Uhuru out of Northeastern with major defections

President William Ruto has gone flat out in a campaign to consolidate Northeastern ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The latest raids have targeted Isiolo and Marsabit, two counties that had voted in Jubilee leaders in the last election.

The machinations are aimed at dislodging ODM leader Raila Odinga and former President Uhuru Kenyatta whose handshake resonated with the region’s leaders.

Northeastern largely voted for Azimio la Umoja in last year’s election, which saw Jubilee and Upia bag majority of the seats.

President Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance performed dismally in the region, igniting a post-poll campaign to turn the tides.

The President has given the region plum appointments, including the nomination of Noordin Haji as the next director general of the National Intelligence Service.

This added to the appointment of former Garissa Township MP Aden Duale as Defence Cabinet Secretary and that of DCI boss Mohamed Amin.

The Military Intelligence boss, Brigadier Abdikadir Burje, and Deputy Inspector General of Police Noor Gabbow also hail from Northeastern.

In the latest endeavours, Ruto’s new signings are Isiolo Governor Abdi Ibrahim Guyo and his deputy James Lowasa.

The two dumped Jubilee Party and officially joined UDA at the weekend, declaring they would bring more on board.

The duo was joined by Isiolo county assembly speaker Mohamed Koto and the region’s Orange Democratic Movement chairman Hassan Galma.

Guyo, a former MCA for Matopeni ward in Nairobi, was elected governor of Isiolo on a Jubilee Party ticket under the Azimio la Umoja coalition.

He was the first person to ascend from the post of Member of County Assembly to governor since the enactment of the 2010 Constitution.

His defection highlighted Ruto’s attempt to consolidate support in the region that voted against him in the August 2022 polls.

UDA Secretary General Cleophas Malala said the move was part of his mandate to increase the party's membership countrywide.

He said the efforts were aimed at consolidating the party’s support in the marginalised communities for their meaningful participation in developing the country.

“We want to assure Isiolo county of every necessary support from the central government. We are going to extend this to all minority communities,” he said.

He revealed that UDA has rolled out massive party activations with grassroot elections expected at the end of the year.

“We'll create space for our new partners in the party leadership structure,” Malala said, exuding confidence that UDA would be the choice party for many regions in the next election.

For Guyo, Azimio la Umoja has a long way to go, saying the coalition’s top leaders should stop intimidating members with divergent political views.

“In UDA, I feel at home. I am even ready for a by-election if it comes to that. We cannot accept a situation where divergent views have no place,” the governor said.

Public Service CAS Hussein Dado, while lauding Guyo for openly coming out to join UDA, said Northeastern would set the pace for other regions the party is eyeing.

Guyo joins the growing list of leaders shifting their support in favour of Jubilee, coming after Mandera and Garissa whose leaders largely back Ruto.

Mandera Senator Ali Roba was the first to shift camps. He joined Ruto’s camp with two governors – Mandera and Marsabit, senators for Mandera and Wajir, and several MPs.

The MPs included Umulkheir Kassim (Mandera), Bashir Abdullahi (Mandera North), Kullow Hassan (Banisa), Joseph Lekuton (Laisamis), AbdulEnrahim Haro (Mandera South) and Adan Haji (Mandera West).