Karaiyu clan endorses Speaker Roba for Isiolo governor seat

Isiolo County Assembly Speaker Mohamed Roba Qoto during endorsement for the Isiolo governor seat. [Bruno Mutunga, Standard]

Isiolo County Assembly Speaker Mohamed Roba Qoto has received the endorsement of the Karaiyu clan to contest for the governor seat in the 2027 General Election.

The endorsement was announced during a meeting held in Isiolo Town on Saturday, which brought together clan elders, political leaders, professionals, youth representatives, women leaders, and supporters from various parts of the county.

Speaking during the event, Karaiyu clan chairman and former Isiolo North MP Charfana Guyo Mokku said that the clan settled on Roba after extensive consultations and deliberations involving elders and community leaders.

Mokku revealed that five individuals from the clan had initially expressed interest in contesting for the seat currently held by Governor Abdi Ibrahim Guyo who will also be in the race. Following a rigorous selection process, the elders unanimously agreed that Roba was the most suitable candidate to fly the clan's flag in the 2027 governor race.

"We have spent considerable time consulting among ourselves and evaluating all the potential candidates. After thorough deliberations, the elders agreed that Mohamed Roba Qoto is the best person to represent the interests of the Karaiyu clan and the wider Borana community in the upcoming election," said Mokku.

He revealed that the clan's elders committee recently held a three-day meeting in Meru County where they discussed the matter extensively before reaching a consensus.

The recommendations of the committee were later presented to the larger clan leadership, which endorsed the decision.

Mokku further clarified that the endorsement marks only the first step of a broader political process.

He said the Borana Council of Elders (BCE) is expected to engage leaders and elders from other Borana sub-clans to seek a common position ahead of the 2027 elections.

"Should the other Borana sub-clans agree with our proposal, Mohamed Roba Qoto will become the sole candidate endorsed by the entire Borana community in Isiolo County," he added.

In his acceptance speech, Roba expressed gratitude to the Karaiyu clan for the confidence they had shown in him. He pledged to work with all communities in Isiolo and promised inclusive leadership if elected governor.

He came out clean on his frosty political relationship with Guyo, saying he had supported the governor's election but later differed with him over what he described as a departure from agreements made during the campaign period.

Roba said the disagreements eventually contributed to the impeachment motion against the governor.

Looking ahead to 2027, Roba promised to restore effective governance and improve service delivery across the county. He said his administration would prioritise transparency, accountability, and equitable distribution of resources.

He pledged to ensure that critical county government offices, including the county treasury, operate from Isiolo Town instead of being run from Nairobi or other locations outside the county.

"County resources must benefit the people of Isiolo. Public funds should be managed transparently and used to improve the lives of residents through better services and development projects," he said.

The Karaiyu clan is widely regarded as one of the largest and most influential clans within the Borana community in Isiolo. Political observers believe its endorsement could significantly shape the county's political landscape as preparations for the 2027 elections begin to gather momentum.