By Kepher Otieno - Reporter
31 May 2026 - The race to succeed Isiolo Governor Abdi Ibrahim Guyo has burst into life nearly two years before the next General Election, with a powerful Borana clan throwing its weight behind County Assembly Speaker Mohamed Roba Qoto in a move that could significantly reshape the county's political landscape.
In Northern Kenya's deeply competitive clan-based political terrain, endorsements by influential elders are rarely symbolic.
They are often the first shots fired in lengthy succession battles that determine who ultimately controls political power.
That reality was on full display in Isiolo Town when elders, professionals, youth leaders, women representatives and political figures from the influential Karaiyu clan formally endorsed Mohamed Roba Qoto as their preferred candidate for the county's top seat in 2027.
The endorsement instantly elevates Qoto from a potential contender into a serious challenger in what is expected to be one of the most closely watched gubernatorial contests in northern Kenya.
Announcing the decision, former Isiolo North MP and Karaiyu clan chairman Charfana Guyo Mokku said the endorsement followed months of consultations and internal negotiations among elders and opinion leaders.
"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," Mokku said.
According to clan leaders, five individuals had initially expressed interest in carrying the community's political banner. But after what elders described as an exhaustive selection process, the field was narrowed to Qoto.
The decision was reportedly sealed during a three-day elders' meeting in Meru, where clan leaders weighed political realities, leadership credentials and the future direction of Isiolo politics.
Yet the endorsement may represent only the opening chapter of a much larger political process.
Mokku disclosed that efforts are now underway to secure backing from other Borana sub-clans through the Borana Council of Elders, a move that could potentially produce a single community-backed candidate ahead of the election.
"If 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 said.
Such an outcome would dramatically alter the dynamics of the 2027 contest.
Isiolo's politics have historically been shaped by delicate negotiations among communities and clans, with endorsements from elders often carrying significant influence among voters.
For Qoto, the endorsement also provides a platform from which to challenge the current political order.
In accepting the nomination, the Speaker presented himself as a leader ready to chart a different course for the county while carefully revisiting his complicated relationship with Governor Guyo.
Ad
Related articles
Qoto revealed that he had initially supported Guyo's successful gubernatorial bid but later fell out with the governor over what he described as unfulfilled political agreements and governance concerns.
The fallout, he suggested, eventually contributed to the impeachment attempts that rocked the county administration.
Without directly launching an attack on the governor, Qoto positioned himself as a reform candidate promising transparency, accountability and stronger service delivery.
"We must ensure county resources benefit the people of Isiolo," he said.
"Public funds should be managed transparently and used to improve lives through meaningful development projects."
Among his most pointed promises was a pledge to ensure key county government functions operate from Isiolo rather than being managed from outside the county.
The remarks appeared designed to tap into growing public concerns about accountability, accessibility and the location of critical decision-making structures.
Political analysts say the endorsement is significant not merely because of Qoto's candidature, but because it signals that succession politics in Isiolo have officially begun.
The county remains one of Kenya's most politically sensitive devolved units, where questions of representation, resource-sharing and community balance often dominate electoral contests.
With the Karaiyu clan regarded as one of the largest and most influential within the Borana community, its decision could trigger fresh alignments, negotiations and rival endorsements in the months ahead.
The challenge for Qoto now will be converting clan support into a broader countywide coalition capable of attracting voters across Isiolo's diverse communities.
For now, however, one message has emerged clearly from the elders' declaration: the battle for Isiolo's governorship is no longer a matter of speculation. It has begun.
And Mohamed Roba Qoto has been handed the first major political endorsement of the race.
Ad
Ad
