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.

The outcome was rejected immediately by Ali’s side who said it was unacceptable and not binding on Borana from Marsabit County.

They claimed that Tadicha was picked because the MP was absent from the meeting.

‘‘We told them Kenya had lost dignitaries in a plane crash and that the MP was a member of the burial committee of his colleagues. The apology and request for postponement was rejected,’’ said Jattani.

He continued: ‘‘We also told them the meeting should be held on Kenyan soil as it was a Kenyan affair but this was also rejected’’.

‘‘The atmosphere was intimidating and the PC ran the show. We were reduced to mere spectators in a matter that directly affects us,’’ said a Moyale civil servant.

It was alleged that three elders were arrested and later released by Ethiopian authorities when the two rival sides engaged each other in heated debate.

Those detained were identified as Jarso Wario, Duba Jillo and Abduba Jillo, all allies of the MP after they allegedly questioned the role of Ethiopian government officials.

Diba Duba, a high school teacher accused the Ethiopian administrator (who is the Kenyan equivalent of PC) of hijacking the meeting.

 “It was outrageous. The whole thing was a sham. We asked the cultural leader to arbitrate and help us build consensus around one candidate. We did not ask him or the Ethiopian government to impose a candidate on us.,’’ said Mr Duba.

Hurriedly endorsed

He continued; ‘‘ sadly, that is what they did. I am sure they will live to regret the folly of interfering in the electoral process of another country”. 

The Kenyan delegation further lamented that Tadicha was hurriedly endorsed by the Ethiopian officials against their will.

“The Borana meeting at Shawa Bare had striking parallels with that of Kanu national delegates’ conference at Kasarani in 2002. This Ethiopian project will meet the same fate that befell the Kanu candidate” said a civil servant who attended the meeting while referring to the loss of the Kanu presidential candidate Uhuru Kenyatta to Narc’s Mwai Kibaki.

They accused the administrator of high handedness in running what was expected to be an exclusive meeting of the Boran community under the guidance of their cultural leader.

However, Tadicha’s allies led by politician Ibrahim Dambi who also attended the meeting dismissed assertions by Ali’s camp claiming the MP avoided the meeting because he sensed defeat.

“Both sides had requested the help of the Abba Gadha and Tadicha was been picked fairly. The MP should concede defeat and support our torch bearer,’’ said Mr Dambi.

He dismissed as propaganda that the event was hijacked by Ethiopian government officials saying the event was spearheaded by the Abba Gadha and the officers played their ‘normal roles’.

Nominated Ford-Kenya councillor Mubarak Wario said Tadicha was picked because he is acceptable to all the communities in the county and has good track record in the NGO world.

“He was a high school teacher here and worked with NGO for over 10 years among the Borana, Gabra and Rendille. He is acceptable to all the communities in the county,’’ said Mr Wario.

They said the decision was binding on all the Borana voters in Marsabit adding that the community had never disobeyed a verdict reached by the Abba Gadha.

Unconfirmed reports indicate that an education official Stephen Labarakwe, a Rendille is also in the race.