Via People Daily

The Fai clan council of Ugas (sub- clan leaders) of the Degodia clan in Wajir county has started a series of activities to identify suitable politi- cal leaders from among their sub- clans to run in the 2022 elections.

This happened even as other Degodia sub-clans said they have already chosen its sultan, who will be responsible for the selec- tion of suitable political contend- ers from within the clan to rep- resent it at the ballot to compete against the representatives of the other clans.

Each of the sub-clans has its own

sultan, who is (s) elected by consen- sus by clan elders.

In a statement, the council has asked candidates seeking to vie for the position of Member of the County Assembly to apply and pay a non-refundable fee of Sh50,000.

Gubernatorial and senatorial aspirants have also been asked to submit their application and pay non-refundable fee of Sh1 million.

Predetermined

Curiously, the council has not in- vited applications for parliamentary seats and woman rep positions. The move has raised eyebrows among aspirants with some claiming that

the Fai sultanate is already com- promised and remote controlled by power individuals who want to install their cronies in various posi- tions.

“Why has the Sultanate not in- vited applications for Members

of Parliament, Woman Reps at the same time as Governor candidates, we are reading mischief in the whole process,” a former parastatal chief eyeing a parliamentary seat in the county said.

“Their fate seem to have been” predetermined “discouraging them from resigning. It will also serve as psychological warfare tailor made to deny popular candidates an op- portunity to serve their people,”

he noted adding that the delay will provide bargaining power to quell political temperatures.

Nevertheless, various gubernato- rial hopefuls from the Degodia clan are jostling to be endorsed by elders

In anticipation of forming coalitions with their Ogaden and Ajuran coun- terparts.

The headache facing the Fai com- munity will be coming up with the nominee for the seat who will be acceptable across all the sub-clans that form the community and pre- vent a fallout from the process.

Potential names that have been touted include Ugas Sheikh Mohamed, who dropped his ambition twice to back Mohamed Abdi in 2013 and 2017, governance and anti-corruption expert Hassan Wehliye, who is seeking to make his debut in politics and Nairobi South Hospital proprietor Dr Hassan Mohamed.