By Betty Luke
Isiolo leaders who lost in the recent Jubilee Party nominations have protested the process saying it was flawed.
The aspirants Wednesday (today) through the Borana Council of Elders appealed to President Uhuru Kenyatta to intervene and solve an impasse pitting them with a rival group and expedite issuance of the tickets.
The elders said the Head of State had promised to issue direct tickets to former Governor Godana Doyo, Isiolo North MP Hassan Odha, Woman Rep Rehema Jaldesa, Nuh Mohammed Ibrahim (Senate) and Mohammed Tupi (Isiolo South MP) during a recent meeting in State House.
Led by elders boss Abdullahi Gonjobe, the community said it deserved to be given the tickets for the five elective seats as had reportedly reached out to the party before the other camp.
“The President asked us to join his party (Jubilee) and promised to give the five leaders direct tickets. We are asking him to keep his word,” Mr Gonjobe said in Isiolo town.
But the party would later same evening issue tickets to Nairobi Majority Leader Abdi Guyo (Governor), Senator Fatuma Dullo, former Isiolo North MP Joseph Samal and former Education Chief Adminstrative Secretary Mumina Bonaya to vie for Woman Rep seat.
Sources within the camps of those who lost claimed the nominee lineup was amended without their knowledge.
“We are shocked to learn that all our competitors have been issued with certificates against our earlier agreement to pick equal candidates from both sides,” one of the sources said.
Reports indicate that the four politicians will vie as independent candidates. One of them, Mr Tupi secured the Isiolo South MP ticket.
Their supporters have accused Mr Kenyatta of dishonesty for allegedly failing to ensure that the five leaders got direct tickets.
“How comes the party decided to issue tickets to the weaker team?” one of the supporters shared, claiming that some of the leaders were considered due to their closeness to the party officials which jeopardized fairness.
Before photos of some of the leaders being issued with the tickets trended online, a section of leaders from several communities had expressed their unwavering support to Mr Kenyatta’s adminstration.
The group had appealed to the Head of State to break the deadlock to give politicians greenlight to roll out their campaigns.
In a speech read out by cleric Stephen Kalunyu, the group said it was confident Mr Guyo’s camp would deliver victory to the ruling party and should “therefore be considered for the tickets”.
