Gloves are off as two Kenya Kwanza Alliance affiliate parties scramble for Garissa Township parliamentary seat mini polls slated for January 5, 2023 by-election pitting president William Ruto led United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and Mandera Senator Ali Roba’s led United Democratic Movement (UDM) party.
The Informer has established that Roba has flatly defied overtures and pressure to withdraw his party candidate by President Ruto emissaries led by Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale who resigned from the seat after his nomination and consequent appointment to the cabinet.
Early this month, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) cleared six candidates to run for the seat.
However, the two main contenders are retired Major Mohamed Barrow Dekow on UDA ticket and Nassir Mohamed Dolal alias Jofle of UDM.
Roba and elders from the Somali community have maintained a hardline stance saying they will not succumb to any amount of pressure as campaigns approach the home stretch.
“UDM is a political party that caters for the primary interests of the Somali community. Being in a coalition with other parties does not mean we play second fiddle. We are going full throttle.” An insider intimated.
The open defiance against the influential ruling party is widely interpreted as a political indictment against Duale whose political grip and influence amongst the Somali community could be dwindling.
The campaigns enter fever pitch this week.
The seat fell vacant following Duale’s appointment to the Cabinet. Duale has been elected for four consecutive terms, each on a different political party.
Other contestants fighting to succeed Duale include; Ibrahim Malow (Narc Kenya), Muhiadin Abdirashid (DAP-K), Abdifaisal Amin (ODM) and Abdikarim Osman of Democratic Party (DP)
Insiders on the campaigns trail say President Ruto’s led UDA party faces an uphill task in its bid to lock out or tame the UDM party led by Mandera Senator Ali Roba from Garissa politics.
Political pundits contend that Dolal of UDM enjoys a head start owing to the backing of the all influential Somali elders.
If Dolal wins, the defeat will mark UDA’s waning influence despite the commanding support the party enjoyed during the just concluded August presidential polls.
Accordingly, Duale has thrown all his political support behind Dekow of UDA who faces a tough battle from Dolal.
Dolal will be making a fourth attempt to capture the seat since 2013.
He previously ran on an ODM ticket.
During the August 9 General Election, he finished second with 5,980 votes against, Duale’s 9,980. He has now ditched ODM for the UDM party.
In the arena, there is a high notch political power war between President Ruto’s UDA and Senator Roba’s UDM, both of Kenya Kwanza Alliance.
Various candidates have accused the Defense CS of using his Defence portfolio to threaten and intimidate other candidates. They want him to keep off the by-election and Garissa politics.
Addressing a campaign rally on Sunday, December 25, after a football tournament he had organised, Narc Kenya candidate Malow slammed Duale for involving himself in Garissa politics while he held a sensitive docket.
“It is not ethical and it is not right where the Defence Cabinet Secretary is publicly available, politicking and threatening other people. That is not what KDF is involved in”, Malow said in terse statement while addressing his supporters.
The UDM party leaders led by Senator Roba have also pitched tent in the constituency as they plot a final assault to win the seat. The party operatives confirmed that its leadership would pitch tent in Garissa Township until the election day.
The campaigns are expected to intensify in the coming days as the two rival camps of UDM and UDA aim to outwit each other. However, it remains to be seen whether Duale will stick to the rules of the game, now that he is in a new dispensation as Defence Cabinet Secretary.
Our sources close to Senator Roba say he has maintained that since President Ruto did not consider him or his party for appointment to the Cabinet or other top government positions, he had every right to field a candidate in the Garissa Township constituency by-election.
Under the circumstances, independent sources claimed President Ruto had placed his bet on both Roba and Duale for whoever delivers the Township seat.