A political camp allied with Isiolo Governor Abdi Guyo held its first rally in the town since the failed impeachment bid , where they called on residents to maintain peace and tolerance.
Mr Guyo, on Friday, turned up for the first time at the town centre event with his deputy, James Lowasa, 12 of the Assembly's members and other prominent politicians, who included former Governor Godana Doyo, Woman Representative Mumina Bonaya and the Speaker to the camp backing him, Abdullahi Banticha.
Mr Banticha, who is also a former Isiolo South MP, decamped to Oldonyiro trading centre with five MCAs a month ago before the number rose to nine a week later, after defections of some members from the camp led by Mohamed Roba Qoto, whom the Governor accused of being allegedly the mastermind of the ouster bid.
By this Thursday, the number of MCAs at Oldonyiro, whose clerk is Salad Boru, had risen to 12 after three more elected members switched allegiance, leaving Mr Qoto's camp with the remaining six of the Assembly members, five from the United Democratic Movement (UDM) and the other from Kanu.
This means the hitherto embattled Governor is safe from another impeachment bid.
However, he still faces two more hurdles to ensure that everything runs smoothly for him until the 2027 General elections---to wait and see if there are no legal disputes facing the clerk and the speaker of the side that supports him.
Both Banticha and Boru are still battling to keep their position as their rivals, who are stationed at the Assembly headquarters in Isiolo town, also have their own heads. There are multiple pending cases in Isiolo, Nyeri and Nairobi High courts to resolve the impasse that has turned into a political circus since June 1.
The political differences between the two bitter camps had drawn in the residents who, according to the County security committee led by County Commissioner David Kiprop, were unknowingly used by the politicians to fight their proxy political battles.
Street fights had occurred between various groups allied to the two camps that had left scores injured, some seriously.
Two deaths that are still under investigation by police have also been blamed on the local politics, with the camps pointing accusing fingers at each other.
The Assembly had been vandalised twice, while an arson attack also affected the offices of the County secretary and the department of Human Resources, where crucial documents were burnt.
Five suspects, including Banticha and another former Isiolo South MP Abdi Koropu, had been charged at a Meru court with the second incident of vandalism at the Assembly and are out on a Sh 50,000 cash bail.
The previous County security committee heads that was there during the impeachment process were all either transferred or recalled to Nairobi after allegations of taking sides were raised against them by sections of the local leaders.
During the rally dubbed “Isiolo Pamoja”, which looks like a lineup for a new political alliance ahead of the next General election,Guyo urged members of the public to coexist together peacefully.
"I urge you to remain calm even if you are provoked. Ignore anyone who attempts to sow the seed of discord among you. You will always remain as one Isiolo people who are friends or neighbours," advised the Governor.
Guyo noted that he harboured no grudges against those who spearheaded the failed impeachment attempt and those opposed to his leadership, adding that it was time for all the leaders to join hands with him to ensure quality service delivery for the residents.
Guyo, who said that he avoided holding a public rally after the ouster survival in order to avoid polarising the divided residents, would now focus on mending his relationship with MCAs and other leaders by addressing the problems raised by the Assembly.
Among the accusations that the Governor was to face had the impeachment not collapsed on procedural grounds, including illegal hiring of staff and officials recruited on a contract basis.
The issues that had also been raised by the Senate and flagged by the Office of the Controller of Budget include the Governor having 35 advisors instead of four and recruiting 31 Chief officers instead of 18. Last week he appointed 21 chief officers, still three More than the required number.
Guyo's sentiments were also echoed by Ms Bonaya, who is a close ally and Mr Doyo, who was a close second in the Gubernatorial race in the 2022 polls, who asked the people to shun divisive politics by rallying their support behind the Governor.
Doyo, who had shelved his ambition to recapture the seat that he first lost in the 2017 general election to former Governor Mohamed Kuti, had resolved to instead join Guyo and Mumina camp in order to challenge Senator Fatuma Dullo for the seat in the next General election said service delivery for the people of Isiolo had been hampered by bad politics for the better part of this year.
"The people of Isiolo have already lost months in unnecessary politics, and the leaders now need to settle down to work. Let's stop cheap politics now and focus our energies towards development,' said Bonaya.
The leaders also drummed up support for President Ruto, arguing that he had initiated many development projects for the people of Isiolo and the larger Northern Kenya.
