The race to succeed Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi has entered a new phase.

This is after elders from the Reer Au Mohamud sub-clan of the Matan community set September 17 as the date for the nomination of a single candidate to carry their political flag in the 2027 gubernatorial contest.

The decision places the Matan community at the centre of the emerging political contest in Wajir, coming only weeks after the Fai sub-clan of the Degodia became the first to formally settle on a candidate to pursue the coveted governor’s seat.

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The elders announced the September 17 date at the conclusion of a two-day consultation meeting held at the Wajir Red Cross Hall, where they said all aspirants would be accorded an equal opportunity in a process they pledged would be transparent, peaceful and free from external interference.

The Matan community has produced two of Wajir County’s three governors since the advent of devolution, with the incumbent, Ahmed Abdullahi, also hailing from the community.

Three prominent politicians from the Matan sub-clan have so far expressed interest in succeeding Governor Abdullahi.

They are Wajir County Chief Officer for Finance Yahya Dahiye, Kenya Maritime Authority Chairman and former Wajir West MP Ahmed Kolosh, and former Ewaso Nyiro South Development Authority Managing Director Omar Sheikh.

Matan elders said their immediate priority was not merely to produce a candidate, but to ensure the exercise results in a politician capable of uniting the community and commanding the confidence of the wider electorate.

Maalim Abdikarim, one of the elders, cautioned against attempts by individuals outside Wajir to influence or alter the process, saying the community had already agreed on the September 17 date after extensive consultations.

Maalim alleged that some politicians outside Wajir, together with a section of elders, were attempting to pressure members of the community to bring forward the nomination exercise.

“We are aware that a politician from another county has called some of our elders and given them an ultimatum of up to August 8 to pick a candidate for the family. We want to make it clear that nobody from outside Wajir will dictate to us when and how we should conduct our consultations and nominate our candidate,” he said.

The elders insisted that the process must be owned by the community and warned that any attempt to impose a candidate could trigger divisions and undermine the unity that has historically given the Matan community considerable political influence.

Mohamed Sabdow, another elder, said unity had been the community’s greatest political asset during previous elections, allowing it to mobilise its numbers and speak with one voice.

“Our strength has always been our unity. In previous elections, whenever we have remained united, we have been able to achieve what seemed difficult. We must not allow this nomination process to divide us. Once a candidate is chosen, all of us must come together and support that candidate,” Sabdow said.

The elders’ move comes against the backdrop of growing political activity within the wider Degodia community as different sub-clans position themselves ahead of the 2027 elections.

Yahya Dahiye and Omar Sheikh, separately distanced themselves from any alternative nomination process, saying they had not agreed to another date or mechanism for selecting a candidate.

Dahiye who was flanked by a section of sub clan members during the press briefing warned that anyone purporting to represent the community or the aspirants in a process that had not been agreed upon would lack legitimacy.

“Anyone who alleges that they represent the community or the aspirants in a process and period that has not been agreed upon is conducting an illegitimate process whose outcome does not represent the community,” Dahiye said.

The unfolding contest is expected to be closely watched given the significance of the Matan community in Wajir politics and its numerical and political influence in Wajir West Constituency.

The Fai sub-clan of the Degodia recently made history by becoming the first among the competing groups to formally settle on a gubernatorial candidate, setting the stage for what is expected to be a wider contest involving candidates drawn from different sections of the Degodia community.

The development has intensified political conversations across Wajir, with clan-based consultations and negotiations expected to play a significant role in determining who eventually emerges as the leading contenders for the governor’s seat.

The Matan elders said they would now embark on preparations for the September 17 nomination exercise, which they expect to attract all interested aspirants and their supporters.

They also appealed to the aspirants to maintain peace and respect one another, arguing that the gubernatorial contest should not be allowed to destroy the unity of a community whose political strength has historically depended on its ability to act collectively.

With the Fai having already settled on its candidate and the Matan now beginning its own nomination process, the Wajir gubernatorial contest is steadily taking shape, setting the stage for what is likely to be a highly competitive battle to succeed Governor Abdullahi in 2027.