NEWS
How Sofia Abdinoor proved her influence in the Masalani by-elections
Sofia Abdinoor, the Ijara member of parliament. Kulan photo
The recent concluded Masalani ward by-election has brought to the fore political muscle the first time Member of Parliament of Ijara has against powerful political figures working behind the scenes.
Political pundits in the county claim the most disadvantaged person in the just concluded ward elections is the deputy governor Abdi Dagane who was seemingly working under the instructions of his boss, governor Ali Korane.
Mr Korane has thrown his weight behind the former deputy speaker in the Garissa County assembly, Abubakar Mohamed Shide, who won the seat with paltry 52 votes against his close political competitor Suleiman Abdullahi Muktar. Shide garnered 2922 against Suleiman who managed 2870 votes in a hotly contested elections.
The Masalani ward by-election was as a results of death of ANC candidate Ibrahim Abdullahi who died 33 days to August 8th elections. His younger brother was cleared to run for the seat.
The deputy governor, with full convoy of the county government, had employed all tactics to ensure his preferred candidate captures the seat.
He mobilized all members of the county assembly allied to county administration including majority leader, Mahad Osman.
With the involvement of the ward politics, many see the soft spoken deputy governor has lost immense support from voters beacuse he should not have remain neutral in ‘petty’ ward politics.
Despite having raised fund for their former colleague, the MCAs also accompanied him to give moral support together with their speaker who was also Ijara Member of Parliament Ahmed Ibrahim Abass.
Mr Abass is a former immediate member of parliament in the constituency who lost to Sofia Abdinoor in the August 8th elections.
On the other hand, Ijara Member of Parliament Sophia Abdinoor engaged in a vicious campaigns in a bid to fight back against senior powerful political players and ensure her preferred candidate clinches the seat.
“With the presence of deputy governor in the campaigns, it means Mama Sophia has an immense influence in the county politics.
“This has also been made grave by availability of several members of the county assembly from Governor Korane’s backyard,” said Mr Khalid Hassan, a political commentator in the county.
Mr Hassan said the presence of MCAs from governor Korane’s clan shows the Ijara Member commands majority influence in the constituency.
