With no apparent opposition and end to his Degree case, Governor Korane is finally a relaxed man

NAIROBI—Garissa Governor is a relaxed man. He lately says nothing to defend his administration nor make as frequent visit to his county as he did when he was under scrutiny from his opposers.

For the fifth month, Governor Ali Korane has no apparent opposition in his county since he mended his relationship with Garissa Township legislator, Aden Duale, his main critics since April last year up until September when the two agreed to end their political hostilities and “work together.”

On the afternoon of August 25, Governor Korane and Duale met at king Dekow Maalim residence in Garissa town. Dekow is the tradition leader of the Abudwaq clan to which both Duale and Korane belong to.

“It is time to end political wrangles and forge unity among leaders to enhance service delivery, Korane said.  He added that: “Today, we have unanimously resolved to work together and I am sincere and committed to sustain the agreement.”

Duale said disagreement is a common occurrence in the political landscape, but maintained that unity was key  to achieve peaceful co- existence and development.

Rtd General Mohamed Mohamed, King Dekow Maalim, former  Cabinet Minister and ex- Dujis MP, Hussein Maalim and businessman Mahat Kuno, who addressed the meeting, all called for unity and political understanding among the county leaders.

THE GENESIS OF THE BITTER FALL-OUT 

The event was witnessed by key figures among them East Africa Legislative Assembly MP, Abdikadir Omar, National Director for Basic Education Habat Abdi, former Fafi MPs Rtd Major Aden Sugow and Mohamed Salat, former Garissa mayor Siyat Osman and Coast Development Authority MD Dr Mohamed Keinan.

The bitter fall-out started when Governor Korane told off Aden Duale amid renewed debate on the county’s alleged hiring of unqualified staffs.

The debate was started by Duale who, without mentioning Garissa in particular, castigated the county administrations of hiring “unqualified personnel” instead of “professionals.”

”It is very unfair to employ people who have no university credentials when we have graduates,” Duale said on weekend during the launch of the Pastoralists Education Fair in Garissa town.

Governor said the matter had taken a political dimension.

” I want to inform those gossiping that Garissa county has employed unqualified personnel that we are a devolved government and at liberty to employ staff who will have an input to service delivery,” the Governor said.

”It was wrong for a national government agency to succumb to political blackmail and start harassing innocent county staff through unwarranted summons,” Korane added.

The Governor said county governments were independent entities created by the constitution and were not subservient to other government institutions.

“The constitution has empowered us and we won’t hesitate to pluck a cattle herder from the oblivion and recruit him or her to serve in offices so long as they are adding value based on their experience,” Korane notes.

What followed was constant media onslaught between the two, even at times going personal during public rallies.

At the height of the two leader’s, they both turned the mood of the town to that of electioneering period. While Duale used Madrasa fundraisers to take a jibe at the governor, Korane used his residence as his launching pad. Their sight was common in Garissa particularly during the weekends, but that has since with August handshake between the duo.

THE DEGREE CASE DROP

And as if it was not enough, a High Court in Nairobi on December granted parties to withdraw the case challenging the integrity of Garissa Governor’s academic paper.

The case was withdrawn on December 10 before justice James Makau of the Constitutional Court after the parties recorded consent for withdrawal of the main application.

The case was previously filed by Mukhtar Barre who sought orders from the Court to declare Garissa governor’s seat vacant urging that Korane presented fake academic papers to clear for the 2017 gubernatorial race.

“The governor violated the Constitution,” Bare said in court papers.

The University of Nairobi in a letter dated August 20, 2018, denied issuing the MBA degree certificate to Governor Korane and that his name did not appear in any graduation booklet.

Bare, through lawyer Charles Kanjama, said Korane had violated the Leadership and Integrity Act.

Justice James also also allowed an application by Korane’s deputy, Abdi Dagane as an interested party saying the prayer had merit.

Dagane had filed an application under a certificate of urgency, arguing that as the deputy governor he would be affected by the outcome of the petition.

This was after the IEBC opposed his application, saying it was only Korane’s documents that were being challenged in court and not his.

“It is imperative and in the interest of justice that the court should hear and determine this application before any other proceedings are undertaken in this petition,” Dagane said.

The Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission (EACC) had earlier questioned the authenticity of Korane’s masters degree saying it was altered. In an affidavit, EACC investigator Kevin Lang’at said preliminary investigations indicated that issues raised by Bare in the court papers prompted the agency to re-look into the papers.

“A close analysis to some pages in the self-declaration form presented to the IEBC reveals that the information was altered,” the investigator said.

Unlike in Wajir where Governor Mohamed Abdi is under sharp criticism from the senator, the Women Representative and other leaders, Korane has no opposition to point out his administration’s shortcomings. 

It’s merry for the Governor as he enjoys the most quite period of his tenure despite preparing for a major face-off in 2022 to retain his seat in a region where performance is overshadowed by clan endorsement.