Governor Roba leads Mandera leaders in backing Uhuru/Raila

Mandera Governor Ali Roba and Senator Mahmoud Mohamed led more than 30 local elected and nominated MPs and MCAs in shifting support to President Uhuru Kenyatta and his partnership with ODM leader Raila Odinga.
Mr Roba had for long been regarded as Deputy President William Ruto key ally.
Addressing the press at Granada Hotel in Mandera town after a consultative meeting, the leaders vowed to back Building Bridges Initiative referendum push, President Kenyatta’s Big 4 agenda and his efforts to unite the country.
They however took issue with de-whipping of two Mandera MPs from crucial committees for being ‘wrongful’ regarded as DP Ruto allies.
The MPs present were Omar Mohamed (Mandera East), Abdi Mude (Lafey), Adan Ali (Mandera South), Adan Haji (Mandera West), Kullow Maalim (Banisa) and woman rep Amina Gedow.
Senator Mohamed was de-whipped by Jubilee Party from the powerful Senate Finance committee which he chaired while MP Adan Ali was removed from the National Assembly Agriculture committee.
The leaders said they have always been loyal to and supported President Kenyatta since 2013 but some “busy bodies” were spreading lies that they were not backing him.
“In 2013, Mandera voted 98 percent of the votes cast to President Uhuru Kenyatta. In 2017, we voted 93 percent of votes cast for President Kenyatta,” the leaders said in a statement read by Mr Roba.
The statement added: “We the leadership of Mandera County re-affirm our continued political support to his Excellency the President and the Right Honourable Raila Odinga through the famous handshake. We fully support the Building Bridges Initiative.”
They were happy that Mandera people benefitted by one of their own being appointed CS, CAS and a PS in the Jubilee administraion.
“We appeal to the President to understand that our expectation is very high in getting consideration and protection of the positions given to us and further appeal to him to consider replacing the two chairpersons dewhipped from parliamentary committees with leaders from the county,” Mr Roba said.
They also called on BBI to improve devolution through allocation of more resources.
Mr Roba held talks with Mr Odinga last week as political wave in northern Kenya shifted towards President Kenyatta and Mr Odinga’s political pact ahead of 2022 polls.
Observers said Mr Roba who is serving a second term in office could be eyeing to play a key role in charting the region’s political direction in 2022 and ensuring it benefits from the national cake.