BY; Abdimalik Hajir
Pressure was too much for Abdirashid Abdi who attempted to contest in Garissa senatorial by-elections in March that he now says in court papers that he was coerced to withdraw from the competition that had Abdul Haji elected unopposed.
He said local elders worked behind the scenes to ensure no candidates show up to present their credentials to the electoral body hence put on weight on his parents and family members.
Garissa governor Ali Korane with Garissa senator Abdikadir Mohamed after he was endorsed by elders from the abduwak clan. Photo/Courtesy
“I was totally isolated, I became an outcast that no one wanted to associate with me just because I declared to contest in the seat,” he told Frontier Online, he has now sued several politicians whom he said have played a role in having him drop his senatorial by-elections.
In the era of devolution, elders have become powerful institutions in the Northeastern region with the involvement of almost key decisions including recruitment of staff.
Elders have played a crucial role in picking various candidates for various seats, politicians intending to go for positions apply to the elders with the CV as well as certain payments determined by the elders.
While there are currently ongoing clan primaries to select candidates for different seats, the majority of youths have shown open defiance to the process they said only favors the most powerful and moneyed individuals.
Analysts argue that the political elite prefer local elders to do clan primaries instead of full-blown campaigns as it’s less expensive, the elders also help in whipping clans to vote in a certain way, subduing anyone against their decisions.
“It’s less expensive to buy clan elders loyalty to endorse you for a certain seat compared when you do full-blown campaign seeking a mandate from the people,” argued Aden Sigale, a local political analyst.
Of more concern he said is the fact that political leaders submit their credentials including Degrees, masters, or even PHDs to clan elders who most probably have not gone to school, this he said undermines their integrity to independently select candidates.
Abubakar Somane, the head of Garissa youth organization claimed the involvement of elders in devolved functions is undermining devolution since only those fronted by the elders are considered in employment, away he noted is having them into the fold of those in authority.
“There is no professionalism followed, because their loyalty is key to any politician they must be listened to and have their preferred candidates chosen for any job recruitment,” he alleges.
He said the exorbitant fees required from the competitors during the clan primaries also discourage potential candidates he noted could have had integrity.
Somane said the price quoted could also be a reason to block other candidates from developing interest in any seat, this limits the chances of voters to genuinely vote a candidate.
Responding to claims Hassan Osman who is a member of a seven-member council of elders from Abduwak dismissed allegations as hogwash saying the so-called negotiated democracy has not started recently.
He said after independent, elders have been fully involved in all political processes numerating how from the first Garissa Member of Parliament elders choice always carried the day.
Claims of bribery and buying of clan elder’s loyalty he said most of the decision-makers are old enough who doesn’t fancy much resources noting that their mandate is to foster cohesion and unity of the communities.
He said there is an elaborate way that goes behind the scenes before a candidate is given a green light to contest in elections, he explained that for a candidate to be endorsed he or she must have been formally accepted by his sub-clan.
“Because we are also supposed to determined the qualifications of candidates, we have a team of highly educated professionals who help elders in coming up with the right candidate,” he told Frontier Online.
