Rivalry between the warring communities in Marsabit County has pushed each side to ensure they present a single candidate in the General Election.
The rivalry, especially between the Borana and Gabra has intensified over the governor seat with each believing that whoever is elected will use the position to marginalise others.
It is this reason that has made the Borana keen to capture the seat that has also attracted aspirants from the Gabra and Rendille.
However, while the Gabra have identified Ukur Yattani, a former North Horr MP and ambassador to Austria as their candidate, the Borana have not agreed on who they will present for the seat.
A series of meetings held since last September failed to resolve who should be the community’s candidate. They were torn between Moyale MP Mohamud Ali and Save the Children Ethiopia Food Security Advisor Chachu Tadicha.
The two camps later decided to take the matter to Borana Abba Gadha (traditional ruler) who reigns in Ethiopia to help them identify the ideal candidate.
The Abba Gadha, Guyo Gobba, has his imperial court in the cultural hamlet of Liban in southern Ethiopia. He agreed to the request and brought his team to Moyale, Ethiopia, last Saturday. The meeting took place at Shawa Bare School hall.
Meeting
Ethiopia sent 50 delegates while the Kenya side presented a similar number. Ethiopia’s Borana Zone administrator Guyo Kanu Jillo hosted the delegates.
Delegates from Marsabit included an MP, former MPs, an ex ambassador, a senior Nairobi City Council officer, professionals and village elders. Mr Tadicha attended the meeting while Mr Ali was reported to have been involved in the burial arrangements of former Internal Security Minister George Saitoti and his deputy Orwa Ojodeh who died in a helicopter crash.
While deliberations kicked off, the absence of the MP did not seem to please the Ethiopian officials and Tadicha’s camp despite apologies sent by the legislator’s camp.
Elders Abaroba Jattani, Doyo Galgalo and Galma Okotu represented the MP. On Monday afternoon, the meeting resolved that Tadicha was the nominee.
