[Mandera East MP Abdulaziz Farah. He has announced that he will not be defending his seat during the forthcoming polls. Courtesy: The Star]
Mandera East MP Abdulaziz Farah has announced that he will not be seeking re-election during the forthcoming general elections as earlier expected.
Speaking on Wednesday in Mandera Town, the lawmaker cited frustrations from the community's Council of Elders, who propagated negotiated democracy.
“I am not in the race for this parliamentary seat because of the effects of the negotiated democracy that caused a lot of mix-up and confusion,” he said.
“The end results of negotiated democracy are not worthy investing in because almost every candidate feels short-changed by the elders,” he added.
Negotiated democracy is prevalent in parts of North Eastern Kenya, where a selected set of elders determine the fate of the political class.
According to the elders, negotiated democracy seeks to ensure an all-inclusive nature of leadership.
The legislator, however, faulted the elders, noting that negotiated democracy suppresses democracy and good governance.
“Negotiated democracy has advantages and disadvantages including equity where each clan gets its fair share and limits friction but it compromises the quality of leadership of a clan,” he said.