The outcome of Jubilee Party nomination exercise where various candidates were picked to fly the party ticket during the August 9th General elections has elicited mixed reactions from Isiolo County, with the Borana council of elders’ expressing their displeasure and accusing the party leadership of short changing the community, having earlier entered into an agreement with the Party leader that five candidates who were endorsed by the Council of elders would get direct nominations.
Led by their chairman Abdullahi Hajj Gonjobe, the elders noted that their visit to state house back in February culminated in an agreement with the party leader that former Governor Godana Doyo, Incumbent Woman Rep Rehema Jaldesa, Isiolo North Mp Hassan Oda, Isiolo South MP Aspirant Mohamed Tupi and Senatorial aspirant Nuh Mohamed Ibrahim would be issued with direct Jubilee party tickets, and that the community would then fully back president Kenyatta and Azimio La Umoja presidential candidate Raila Odinga.
Upon completion of the nomination exercise, only Isiolo South MP Aspirant Mohamed Tupi received the jubilee party nomination certificate, out of the five candidates who were endorsed by the Borana Council of elders.
The Gubernatorial ticket was handed over to Nairobi County Assembly majority leader Abdi Guyo (from the Sakuye community), who was picked as heir apparent by incumbent governor Mohamed Tupi who recently announced his retirement from active politics citing health reasons.
Former Education CAS Mumina Bonaya (Borana community) won the Woman Rep nomination certificate, Former Isiolo North MP Joseph Samal Lomwa (Turkana community) got the Isiolo North MP ticket, while the Senatorial ticket was handed to incumbent senator Fatuma Adan Dullo (Sakuye community).
The development was received with joy by members of the other ethnic communities living in Isiolo, who lauded the Jubilee party leadership for considering other communities and issuing the nomination certificates to what they termed as the face of Isiolo.
Led by Ameru Community elder Elijah Mugambi and Adan Mamo from the Gabra community, the locals accused the Borana Council of elders of plotting to sideline all other communities by pushing for the success of a line up that only comprises of candidates from the Borana Community, and piling pressure on Jubilee party leadership to only issue tickets to their preferred candidates.
They argued that the other line up that is led by Guyo and Mumina comprises of all communities living in Isiolo, and therefore deserve the Jubilee party tickets. They assured President Kenyatta and the Jubilee party leadership that they will rally all their support behind the party candidates and also the Azimio presidential nominee Raila Odinga so that they become part of the next government.
Meanwhile, the Borana Council of elders’ are expected to issue another statement on their way forward following the failure to secure Jubilee party tickets for all their endorsed aspirants, with timelines for registration as independent candidates also almost elapsing.