Isiolo residents woke up to the news of United Democratic Alliance (UDA) gubernatorial candidate Hussein Tene ceding ground to Godana Doyo (Independent).
As a result, Doyo and Nairobi City County Assembly Majority Leader Abdi Guyo of the Jubilee Party are now the frontrunners in the gubernatorial race.
The battle to succeed Governor Mohamed Kuti come August 9 now has four candidates including; Kenneth Turibo Maore (PNU), Halakhe Waqo and Kimaita Machuguma of Safina party.
“Today, I have officially stepped down for my brother Godana Doyo,” Tene said on Monday.
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Tene was one of the six Borana leaders who underwent the elders’ screening process in January.
The elders selected Doyo as the candidate for governor of the community.
When he later asserted that a small group of self-centered elders had tainted the process, he abruptly changed course and said that he would be on the ballot since the voters would have the last say.
Doyo thanked Tene for stepping aside and emphasized that he will work with him in the future.
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“I thank God because this is a historic moment as a county. We know this because we are brothers and our ties will not be cut off because of politics,” Doyo said.
Guyo on his part has partnered with other Jubilee members; Joseph Samal, a former Isiolo North MP, Mumina Bonaya, a candidate for women representative, and incumbent Senator Fatuma Dullo.
On the other hand, Doyo has teamed up with other independent contenders such as sitting Woman Rep Rehema Jaldesa, Isiolo North MP Hassan Odha, Isiolo South Jubilee candidate Mohamed Tupi (Jubilee), and Senate hopeful Nuh Mohamed.
In a race that increasingly seems to be a contest of wits, selecting a running mate has proved to be equally important.
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Guyo, a member of the Sakuye community, chose James Lowasa in order to capitalize on the 11, 000 Turkana votes.
Doyo, who is from the largest Borana voting bloc in Isiolo, is focusing on the vote from the Somali population after choosing Omar Hassan as his running mate.
Last week, a TIFA poll revealed that Doyo is the most popular at 45 per cent followed by Nairobi majority leader Guyo, who is trailing at 34 per cent.
Former EACC boss Waqo of ODM follows at four per cent with Tene at two per cent.
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