Omar Sala is lifted shoulder-high after he was endorsed by
his family, Egal Sharmarke, at Nairobi Sir Ali Muslim Club./STEPHEN ASTARIKOElders from the Sharmarke sub-clan of the Murule community, led by Sultan Mohamud Khalif, have endorsed former Mandera East MP Omar Maalim Sala as their preferred candidate for the constituency’s parliamentary seat in the 2027 General Election.
The endorsement follows consultations aimed at finding a single candidate between the Ali Sharmarke and Egal Sharmarke sub-clans.
The elders have argued that presenting a united political position could strengthen the community’s bargaining power ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking to journalists in Nairobi, Sultan Mohamud said elders had held extensive discussions with members of the Ali Sharmarke sub-clan in an effort to resolve the differences and agree on a common candidate.
He said one of the proposals involved a yes-or-No ballot, where the two nominees would each pick a paper marked either “Yes” or “No”, with the outcome determining the sole nominee.
According to the Sultan, however, members of the Ali Sharmarke sub-clan declined to participate in the proposed process.
“After we were unable to agree on consensus, we opted for every community to try its luck, with Egal Sharmarke saying they were ready with any method to solve the stalemate, but they could not convince Ali Sharmarke,” said Sultan Mohamud.
The Sultan said Halane Sharmarke, regarded as a brother to the two sub-clans, and Arfahow, considered an uncle to the three groups, were also involved in efforts to mediate between the factions.
The mediation was aimed at resolving the differences and avoiding a divisive contest within the wider Sharmarke fraternity.
Sala, who previously represented Mandera East in Parliament, is now seeking a return to elective politics.
He served as Mandera County Deputy Governor from 2013 to 2017 and is currently the Speaker of the Mandera County Assembly.
In making his case for a return to Parliament, Sala has previously highlighted projects undertaken during his time as MP, including the construction of three secondary schools, electricity connections in nine locations, provision of water pumps for irrigation and youth entrepreneurship training.
His bid has also received support from within the Egal Sharmarke bloc following the withdrawal of Engineer Abdi Maalim Hassan from the race and his decision to back Sala.
The move has been presented by Sala’s supporters as an effort to consolidate support behind one candidate.
However, Ahmed Madey has rejected the elders’ endorsement, questioning the process used to arrive at the decision and maintaining that it did not provide an acceptable mechanism for selecting a single candidate.
Speaking after his endorsement, Sala said the consultations had taken considerable time and urged Mandera East residents to support his bid.
“I have a lot to do. Having served one time as area MP, I can now pick where I left. Our agenda is people-centred and sustainable, averse to lip service,” said Omar.
He also appealed to members of the Ali Sharmarke sub-clan to support his candidature and pledged continued cooperation with elders and members of the wider Sharmarke fraternity.
Meanwhile, Ugas Abdullahi Abass called for unity within the Sharmarke community, urging members of the Ali Sharmarke fraternity to prioritise cohesion.
He said unity would be important in shaping the community’s political influence and position in future political engagements.
The registered voter population in Mandera East increased from 38,965 in 2017 to 48,219 in 2022, according to the figures cited in the report.
The latest endorsement has added a new dimension to the emerging Mandera East contest, with rival aspirants seeking to build support ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Omar Sala, [standing], after being endorsed by the Sharmake
Sub-clan of Murule led by Sultan Mohamud Khalif yesterday. /STEPHEN ASTARIKO
