Halakhe Waqo
As the election date comes closer, the political scene in the county of Isiolo is changing drastically. The position of governor will be the most contested seat with many politicians and newcomers eyeing the lucrative position.
The rivalry between the former governor Godana Doyo and the incumbent Mohammed Kuti started after the election results were released by IEBC in 2017 where Kuti’s government has been on the defensive as it tries to improve the lives of the residents by running various county government projects and programs.
The political battle was heightened by the coming of the Isiolo Women Representative Fatuma Dullo who has publicly declared her interest in unseating governor Kuti through a fair election contest.
Dullo has been accusing Kuti and his government of what she calls taking the county to the dogs through bad governance.
On his side governor, Kuti has continuously accused his political competitors of making efforts to sabotage his government but he banks on what he calls best service delivery to the people of Isiolo county who gave him the mandate to do so through the power of the ballot.
Recently the contest took a new twist when a section of elders from the Borana community endorsed the immediate former Chief Executive Officer in the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission Halahke Waqo to unseat Governor Mohamed Kuti.
The elders observed that the county still lags despite having Kuti at the seat of the helm of the county and residents are continuing to suffer from poor services delivered by the current regime of the county government.
The elder of Karayu clan revealed that they made the decision after intense negotiation from other elders and other members of the community to pick a leader who will transform the lives of the residents of the fast-growing county that host the proposed resort city captured in the national government’s Vision 2030.
Karayu clan vice-chairman Hussein Ali Abduba said they will reach out to other clans from all the communities living in the county to ensure that Halakhe takes the leadership of the County Government next year.
‘We have met, we have discussed and we have agreed to support our son Halakhe Dida Waqo to take the position of Governor of in the county of Isiolo because he can lead and unite all the communities living in the county’ Ali said.
Former Governor Godana Doyo and the current Mohamed Kuti are also from the dominant Borana community.
Other communities living in Isiolo include Somali, Meru, Samburu, Turkana, Kikuyu and others.
Among the elders who spoke to The Eastern Newspaper include; Hassan Shano and Mohamud Sheikh who praised Waqo’s outstanding leadership skills as demonstrated when he lead the anti-graft body.
In the recent past, elders in various counties have been seen giving their voice as the people prepare to go to polls in the next general elections where people will get an opportunity to elect holders of various political leadership positions.
