A major rift has emerged among the Sakuye Council of elders after Isiolo County Senator Mohamed Abdi Kuti decided to revert his earlier decision to retire from politics at the end of his current term.
The veteran politician recently joined the race for Isiolo gubernatorial seat, sparking an uproar from the Sakuye elders who had already settled on nominated senator Fatuma Dullo to contest for the County senate seat in the spirit of negotiated democracy popular among pastoralist communities.
Led by the Sakuye council of elders chairman Hassan Galma, the section of elders allied to nominated Senator Dullo claimed that Dr Kuti had earlier written to the elders expressing his desire to retire from the political scene on health grounds, prompting the elders to settle on Fatuma to represent the community interests.
Hassan added that the elders agreed to Dr Kuti’s resolve and communicated the same to him, only to realize that he had thrust himself back into the political arena, vying for the post of Isiolo governor, a decision that does not amuse the Sakuye elders.
His move has now led to a defection by other Sakuye elders led by their treasurer Mohamed Guyo Jattani and secretary Mohamed Boru who say they are comfortable with Dr Kuti’s candidature.
The two accused Senator Dullo’s camp of trying to create animosity between the Meru and Borana’s through unfounded claims that thousands of voters from Meru County were transferring their votes to Isiolo County with an aim of altering the voting patterns and installing people from their community into various political seats as well as to support Dr Kuti for the governor’s position.
They urged people to restrain themselves to speeches that unite all communities rather than creating discord among the various communities living in Isiolo.
Wabera ward MCA Salesio Kiambi also rubbished claims by a section of elders including the assembly speaker Mohamed Tupi that there was mass transfer of voters from Meru County. He said that it was the right of every Kenyan to be granted the opportunity to cast his/her vote wherever they wish to.
The entry of Dr Kuti in the gubernatorial race has threatened to water down the elders’ decisions to settle on particular candidates for the various political seats since they had already left him out during their deliberations to balance the sharing of leadership by all communities through negotiated democracy.