Saturday May 6, 2017
Mandera Jubilee senator hopeful Mohamud Mohamed and Governor Ali Roba address residents on December 15 last year / STEPHEN ASTARIKO
Wajir governor Jubilee Party nominee Mohamed Mohamud has identified youthful Ahmed Mukhtar as his running mate, ending months of anxiety among his supporters.
Mukhtar, alias Mahquul, was unveiled at a Nairobi hotel on Wednesday. He will now deputise the former Kenyan envoy to Saudi Arabia in an effort to wrest the seat from incumbent Ahmed Abdullahi.
Mukhtar, 32, who comes from Wajir South is from the Mohamed Zubeir subclan. He vied for MP in 2013, but lost to incumbent Abdullahi Diriye.
This comes barely a week after the governor, who is vying to retain his seat on the ODM ticket, identified educationist Ahmed Nunow as his running mate. He fell out with Deputy Governor Abdihafid Yarrow in March this year.
Nunow, although born in Wajir South, was brought up in Modagashe, Garissa county.
The choice of running mates by aspirants not only in Wajir, but the entire region, is set to play a big role in determining the winners at the August election.
The aspirants are all keen to ensure they balance the equation by roping in key voting blocs from the other clans. The main clans in Wajir are the Degodia, the Ogaden and the Ajuran.
The Degodia clan, which is composed of 10 subclans, has two hopefuls for the top seat. Including the incumbent Abdullahi and Mohamud. The two squared it out in 2013.
Others in the race are Ahmed Muhumed, who is vying for the county top seat on the Party for Development and Reforms ticket, and Salah Abdi Sheikh, who is yet to name a running mate.
In January, elders of the Ajuran community in Wajir vowed to disregard clan-based politics in the run up to the August elections. The elders said they will prioritise the development of Wajir county.
“Our community did not support governor Abdullahi in 2013, but he has treated us fairly and we believe he has performed well. In that regard, we pledge to support him without any conditions,” elder Ahmed Adan said.
The elders said they will individually take part in the campaigns of Abdullahi.