By Kepher Otieno - Reporter
14 December 2025 - The emerging contest to replace the late Isiolo South MP Tubi Bidu Mohamed is quickly shaping into a strategic political battle, with the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) moving early to consolidate support behind a familiar name.
Four UDA legislators have now openly urged Borana elders to rally behind Tubi Mohamed Tubi, positioning him as the party’s preferred candidate in the anticipated parliamentary by-election.
The appeal, led by Kitutu Chache North MP and UDA National Treasurer Japheth Nyakundi alongside Mogotio MP Reuben Bowen, signals the ruling party’s intent to anchor its influence in Isiolo through both political continuity and ethnic consensus.
By invoking the legacy of the late Tubi Bidu Mohamed, who won the seat in 2022 on a Jubilee Party ticket, the UDA leaders appear keen to neutralise potential resistance while easing Tubi Jnr’s transition into competitive politics under a new party banner.
Their message to Borana elders was unambiguous: aligning with the government of the day offers Isiolo South a stronger bargaining position in national politics. The leaders framed the proposed candidacy as both a tribute to the late MP and a pragmatic choice that would enhance the region’s access to power and resources.
The timing of the outreach is notable. Although the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has yet to announce the by-election date, political manoeuvring has already intensified. UDA’s early intervention suggests concern that a fragmented field—or a strong opposition-backed candidate—could complicate the party’s ambitions in a region where loyalty to Jubilee-era leaders still runs deep.
UDA leaders pointed to President William Ruto’s record of appointing leaders from northern Kenya to senior government positions as evidence of goodwill toward historically marginalised regions. The narrative being advanced is that Isiolo stands to gain more by electing a legislator who enjoys direct access to State House and the ruling coalition’s decision-making structures.
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Beyond electoral calculations, the meeting also exposed the deeper governance and security challenges shaping voter sentiment in Isiolo County. Insecurity, particularly persistent cattle rustling in Merti Sub-County, dominated discussions, with community members expressing frustration over deaths, displacement, and economic disruption linked to armed raids.
In pledging to escalate the issue to Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, UDA legislators sought to project responsiveness and authority, drawing parallels with security operations underway in Baringo. The message was clear: peace and development are inseparable, and only close cooperation with the national government can deliver lasting solutions.
The presence of National Gender and Equality Commission chairperson Rehema Dida Jaldesa and Sports Kenya CEO Nuh Mohamed Ibrahim added institutional weight to the gathering. Both leaders reinforced the administration’s commitment to infrastructure, education, and economic empowerment in northern Kenya, while subtly criticising what they described as weak local leadership that has sometimes undermined coordination with the national government.
Their remarks echoed a recurring theme in UDA’s regional strategy: development is available, but communities must elect leaders who can effectively interface with the ruling administration. This framing places the upcoming by-election not merely as a local contest, but as a referendum on Isiolo’s relationship with the Kenya Kwanza government.
As Borana elders weigh the call to endorse Tubi Mohamed Tubi , the son of the late Bidu Tubi Mohamed, the political stakes are rising. An uncontested or consensus-backed candidacy would hand UDA a symbolic victory in a seat previously held by Jubilee, while reinforcing the party’s claim to be the dominant force in northern Kenya. Conversely, resistance from local actors could expose lingering scepticism about whether alignment with the ruling party genuinely translates into security, inclusion, and development.
In this context, the Isiolo South by-election is shaping up as more than a succession exercise—it is a test of UDA’s ability to convert national power into grassroots legitimacy in one of Kenya’s most politically sensitive regions.
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