Ex-EACC boss seeks Ameru support in bid for Isiolo governor’s seat

Former Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission boss Halakhe Waqo could soon enter into a working pact with the Ameru community in Isiolo County in efforts to consolidate votes for his gubernatorial bid.

His Karayu clan has already initiated talks with the community that boasts of over 10,000 votes and which has in the past elections been a swing vote for majority of the candidates.

Perceived as the third force in the race to unseat Governor Mohamed Kuti, Mr Waqo is keen to get into coalitions with other communities to enhance his chances of clinching the powerful seat that former governor Godana Doyo is also seeking to reclaim.

The talks are being led by a 15-member committee of Karayu clan elders and are centred on a power sharing deal between Mr Waqo and the community which has so far maintained it is not in any political pact with anyone.

But the bone of contention is on what the community will get in return should they support Mr Waqo’s candidacy, with sources revealing plans to pick a running mate from the Ameru, though the community is reluctant to agree to the deal due to past ugly experiences between the current and former governor with their deputies.

Running mate

According to sources within Mr Waqo’s camp, the idea is to pick a running mate from among the three Ameru MP aspirants in order to form a formidable team.

The three are Senate hopeful Domiciano Maingi and Isiolo North MP aspirants Lucy Mworia and Mwenda Thuranira.

Reports indicate that efforts by Mr Waqo to persuade one of the leaders hit a snag after the aspirant refused to quit the race in exchange for the running mate’s post.

“We cannot get all the positions. Having one of them quit and deputise Mr Waqo enhances our chances of winning and bringing the change we want in Isiolo,” one of the Karayu elders said.

When elders and opinion leaders from the two communities met recently, it was revealed that part of the deal was to give strategic county posts to the Ameru community.

While popularising Mr Waqo’s bid, the Karayu elders termed him the saviour who will rescue the county from the oppression it has suffered under the current and former regime.

Ideal candidate

The Nation has learnt that part of the plan is to present the former EACC boss as the ideal replacement for Dr Kuti on grounds that the incumbent and Mr Doyo had nothing to show for over Sh30 billion disbursed to the county since the advent of devolution in 2013.

“The two governors have failed the people of Isiolo and none deserves a second chance. It is time we try another person who has previously exhibited outstanding leadership skills,” Elder Hussein Abduba, who is a member of the taskforce, said.

He said their idea is to closely work with the Ameru community as equal partners and not mere supporters.

Sell his agenda

The Ameru community leaders maintained that they will only get into an agreement with the candidate and not his clan elders.

Isiolo’s Njuri Ncheke Council of Elders Chairman Geoffrey Nabea said Mr Waqo should meet the community in person to sell his agenda and respond to several concerns including how their people will benefit from his government.

“We cannot commit ourselves now. We want him to come (in person) and tell us the plan he has for Isiolo. We also need to sit down and agree whom between Mr Waqo and the one he will pick from our community will deputise the other,” he said.

Other communities, the elders’ leader said, are free to reach out to the Amerus for political engagements as they “had not gotten into any agreement”.

Declare their stand

The elders said they had neither accepted nor refused the call to work with Karayu clan and will in the near future publicly declare their stand.

Mr David Kimathi said the talks between the Ameru and Karayu clan will continue and a decision will be communicated at a later date.

“If we agree, we will move forward and work together but we will sit down and weigh the options then communicate our decision,” Mr Kimathi said, adding that the community will not be remotely controlled by any politician as had happened previously.

Former commissioner at the Teachers Service Commission, Mr Tache Bonsa, said Isiolo residents must be keen to elect good leaders in the August elections so as to end the suffering they are going through as majority of the leaders leave for Nairobi after being elected into office.

“We are here to appeal to our people not to vote along tribal lines but pick leaders who will transform our county and end the suffering residents go through,” he said.

It was agreed that the Ameru community leaders form a team of 15 to lead the ongoing negotiations.

A political truce between the Ameru and Mr Waqo will disadvantage Dr Kuti who has in the past relied on the community’s votes to outshine candidates from vote-rich communities.

[email protected]