[Wajir Governor Ali Roba, who is keen on ensuring Jubilee wins majority seats in Wajir. He says the ruling coalition will trounce the opposition] (standardmedia.co.ke)Mandera remains a Jubilee stronghold and the opposition National Super Alliance should not expect to win in the county, Governor Ali Roba has said.
He said massive defections by leaders in the county to the opposition will have no effect on the party’s popularity.
Roba was speaking after aspirants picked by the Garre Council of Elders in a negotiated democracy agreement defected from Jubilee and formed Economic Freedom Party (EFP).
Those who decamped include Senator Billow Kerrow, MPs Mohamed Huka (Mandera South), Fathia Mahbub (Woman Representative), Nominated MP Hassan Osman and Deputy Governor Omar Mohammed.
The EFP party launched in March will be used to challenge Governor Roba’s leadership and other JP aspirants in the county including MPs Mohamed Haji (Banisa), Shaban Issack (Lafey), Mohamud Mohamed (Mandera West) and Adan Mohamed Noor (Mandera North).
Roba said Jubilee will win more seats in the county in August.
“Mandera is still painted red with the Jubilee Party and I am positive it will scoop more votes in 2017 than it did in 2013,” he said as quoted by the Star.
“The elders’ lineup was afraid of going to the nomination, opting to be given direct nomination. Clearly, they sensed defeat.”
In 2013, 94,433 residents in the county voted for Uhuru Kenyatta while 4,366 voted for ODM leader Raila Odinga.
Leaders who left Jubilee claimed they were not sure if the party would conduct transparent nominations.
Mandera, according to the 2009 population census report has a population of 1,025,756. Out of this, only 120,768 registered to vote during the 2013 polls.