Saturday August 19, 2017
Mandera Governor Ali Roba has downplayed negotiated democracy, terming it “a thing of the past’.
He was sworn in for a second term on Thursday by judge Chacha Mwita.
Roba said elders in the region play a great role in building the society, but have been passed by time in deciding the political future of the region.
Prior to the August 8 election, he was asked to step down in favour of former Rift Valley Provincial Commissioner Hassan Noor. Roba garnered 72,671 votes against Noor’s 62,496.
But Roba said there is nowhere in the world, where negotiated democracy is practiced.
“We must move forward with the current politics in the country and the world. We put up a spirited campaign to champion our cause and it has yielded fruit,” he said.
Roba praised the IEBC for conducting credible polls.
He thanked area security agents for ensuring there was peace during the electioneering period.
Roba, however, recognised the numerical strength of his rivals, the Economic Freedom Party candidates, who got four seats in the National Assembly compared to Jubilee’s two in the county.
The governor called for unity among the communities in the county and said non-locals can vie for any elective position.
“We have many communities living here, including Garre, Degodia, Murale, Marehan and non-locals. They are allowed by the Constitution to vie for any elective seat in the region,” Roba said.