Isiolo clans eye winning formations ahead of 2022 elections

The Somali community, one of the five largest communities in Isiolo, is among those keen to forge a united front and join hands with other willing groups to form strong teams so they can achieve their aspirations.

The tribe, with 10 clans, boasts about having produced two deputy governors - Mohammed Guleid and incumbent Dr Abdi Issa - and Burat MCA Hassan Yarrow believes time is ripe for them to go for higher posts.

The community’s leaders and elders have rolled out a series of meetings geared towards ensuring that the 10 clans stay united and speak in one voice ahead of the polls.

The idea, the leaders have said, is to come up with a strong team that will be vetted by the elders to represent the community in the elections.

While it might seem early to go start campaigning, the Somali community, whose one clan has defected, urgently needs to put its house in order to contest against other strong communities for, among others, the Isiolo North MP’s seat.

Already, the community is divided into two groups: one that believes the community has not received commensurate benefits for their loyalty to the two governors and another that believes that all is not lost and it is time the tribe redeemed itself by fielding contestants for several positions.

The differences played out during a recent meeting in El-Boran organised by the Somali Council of Elders Governing Council, which was snubbed by some of the leaders, including Deputy Governor Issa, MCA Yarrow and his nominated counterpart Sumeya Bishar.

Crying foul that their candidates have previously been shortchanged after getting into a pact with aspirants from other communities, the leaders insist they will only make deals with communities and not individual contestants.

A classic case is that of Governor Mohamed Kuti, whom they accused of sidelining Dr Issa in the running of the government and reducing him to a ‘flower girl’ though the community had solidly supported his bid in 2017.

Poor representation

The community is also considering creating a professional arm to work with elders in offering political guidance ahead of the elections.

“We want to field contestants for various positions and we will only enter into an agreement with aspirants’ communities and not individuals to evade the past woes that have befallen us,” Mr Mohammed Ahmed, who lost in the Bulapesa MCA elections in 2017, said at the meeting.

Former Isiolo Health Executive Hajj Mohammud said the community had lost track and should reflect and find where the rain started beating them and focus on building the economy more than politics.

Some of the community leaders believe the group was suffering due to poor representation by their sons and daughters working with the Isiolo County government.

Isiolo Chamber of Commerce and Industry chair Hussein Jama said the community had been neglected and it is time they demand their rights and share of the county’s cake.

Mr Jama, who doubles as the Isiolo Referral Hospital board chair, said the community had not benefited from devolution, saying they need, among others, the rights to do business with the county government.

“If we do not unite, we will continue suffering. We want our rights and business (as Somali) and we are demanding,” Mr Jama said.

Somali Council of Elders chair Shariff Abdullahi said elders will continue offering the required guidance and spearheading peace efforts for the community to remain united.

Hussein Mohammed said the elders’ decisions must be respected and the selection and vetting of the aspirants be on merit.

“We must be very serious this time around. If we say it’s A, let it be A and not B,” he said, emphasising the community’s unity and the need to involve all groups including youth and women in political decision-making.

There is also a contest between the clans over who is to be considered for various seats, with some demanding that clans that have never benefited before be considered.

“Let us come up with a strong team and vet them but let’s ensure fairness by considering people from clans that have never benefited before,” Abdihakim Abdirahman suggested.

The community, among the leading financiers of campaigns in the county, intends to field a candidate for the top county seats whose victory will largely rely on alliances.

Nominated MCA Farhiya Hussein said the disconnect between the majority of the Somali clans and another clan affected the community’s political ambitions.

“I’m appealing to our brothers and sisters to join hands with us so that we push the agenda together and reap benefits as one,” she said.

She maintained that the community had immensely benefited from both county governments through employment and appointments, saying besides the deputy governors, several chief officers and county executives had been appointed since 2013 under the leadership of former Governor Godana Doyo.