Roba vows to defeat elders' choice in Jubilee primaries

Mandera Governor Ali Ibrahim Roba has said he is ready to battle for Jubilee ticket in the party’s nomination with a rival team that has the support of the Garre Council of Elders.

“We are well prepared in representing the true democracy in Mandera and uphold Jubilee manifesto as spelled out by our party leaders,” he said.

The Garre Council of Elders has barred the governor and other political leaders from seeking re-election in this year’s General Election.

But Mr Roba said their decision has been nullified by the will of the people and the “council of elders was as well as dead”.

He spoke on Sunday during a well-attended political rally in Mandera town to introduce his line-up that consists of Mandera West MP Mohammed Mohamud for Senator while Maendeleo ya Wanawake chair Uba Gedi and Water executive Ethila Mohammed will battle it out for the woman representative seat on a Jubilee ticket.

The incumbent’s main opponent is Mr Hassan Noor Hassan who was selected by the elders.

Mr Roba exuded confidence that his team would win over the nominees fronted by the defunct Garre Council of Elders.

“The society we are living in today does not need to be directed nor have the leaders imposed on them by a few selfish individuals because we are more enlightened and we know what is good for ourselves,” he said.

He said majority of elected leaders including 24 MCAs, all the six MPs and most elders from all the clans have said no to negotiated democracy in Mandera.

“They are irrelevant and they should let wananchi decide at the ballot,” he said.

The governor said he only has faith in the electorates’ decision at the ballot urging locals to turn up in large numbers and register in a month long voter registration exercising that started on Monday.

“Anything that has failed elsewhere in the world or in this country can never work in Mandera County,” he said.

“We have many elders from all the clans in Mandera not supporting the decision to have leaders picked by a few people,” said Mr Roba insisting that it is only the locals in Mandera to decide his fate.

MPs supporting governor Roba are Mr Mohamud, Mr Mohamed Huka, (Mandera South) Mr Mohamed Abdow (Banisa), Mr Adan Mohamed Noor (Mandera North), Mr Shabaab Issack (Lafey) and Abdulaziz Farah (Mandera East).

“We want the locals to decide peacefully who shall be their leaders in the next General Election,” said Mr Mohamud.