Borana elders in Isiolo endorse ex-governor Doyo for top seat
Former Isiolo Governor Godana Doyo during a meeting of Borana elders in Kinna, Garbatulla on January 4, 2022 where he was endorsed to vie for governorship in the August elections.
Elders from the Borana community in Isiolo have endorsed former governor Godana Doyo to battle it out with Governor Mohamed Kuti in the forthcoming polls.
Also given the nod by the elders is Isiolo North MP Hassan Odha and Woman Rep Rehema Jaldesa to seek re-election, alongside former Isiolo County Assembly Speaker Mohammed Tupi and one Nuh Mohammed Ibrahim to vie for Isiolo South MP and Senate seats respectively.
The process to pick the five candidates from a team of at least three contestants for each post by the elders started on December 27 and was concluded on January 4, 2022.
Six candidates from Mr Doyo’s Warjida clan had expressed interest in the gubernatorial seat but two stepped down voluntarily in the initial stages.
A petition by two others who had been disqualified — Hussein Tene and Mohammed Huka Jaldesa — was allowed by the elders, taking the duo to the finals with Mr Doyo and Mathei Yunis.
Consensus
The elders, Mr Gonjobe said, through consensus and after wide consultations with the four aspirants, settled on Mr Doyo as the sole gubernatorial candidate.
The elders’ boss said the Karayu clan had agreed to support their Warjida brothers and maintained that Mr Doyo was the community’s only governorship aspirant, dealing a huge blow to former EACC boss Halakhe Dida Waqo who recently announced he will vie for the seat on an ODM ticket.
“We have, after wide consultations, settled on Mr Doyo as our only candidate for governorship,” Mr Gonjobe told journalists during the climax of the meetings in Kinna, Garbatulla.
The council said it had harmonised its views and those of Mr Doyo and resolved to pick a running mate from the Somali community.
Mr Ibrahim, who had initially expressed interest in Isiolo South MP’s seat, was picked for the senatorial post in a list comprising Isiolo Assembly Speaker Hussein Roba, Dr Mohammed Liban and Mr Abdikadir Ali Golicha.
Mr Tupi was picked after Devolution CAS Abdul Bahari and Adan Hokile stepped down.
Isiolo North MP
An appeal by Isiolo North MP aspirant Abdi Wario will be heard on January 15 but elders said they had agreed to support the incumbent Mr Odha.
“The Borana Governing Council has agreed that we allow the incumbent leader to continue with the work. We did not call him here (to the meeting),” Mr Gonjobe said.
Mr Doyo, who is perceived to be Dr Kuti’s main challenger in the race, said they will work together with other communities to achieve their ambitions.
“We have accepted the endorsement and are ready and solid to lead our people to Canaan,” he said while revealing that talks on the party he will vie on were underway.
All eyes are now on the coalition that incumbent Dr Kuti, who was recently endorsed by his Sakuye clan, gets into as he seeks to defend his seat.
