The Fai sub-clan of the Degodia clan has endorsed the proprietor of Nairobi South Hospital, Dr. Hassan Mohamed Adam as its gubernatorial flagbearer for the 2027 Wajir gubernatorial election after a three-day selection process.
However, the outcome has immediately sparked divisions with several of his rivals rejecting the exercise and threatening to challenge the decision.
Dr. Hassan emerged victorious ahead of four other contenders: former Wajir Governor Mohamed Abdi Mohamud, Ugas Sheikh Mohamed, Hassan Wehliye Khalid and Mohamed Ibrahim Elmi following deliberations at Wajir Guest House on Saturday by selected delegates, clan elders, sultanates and a mediation team.
His endorsement is expected to significantly shape the political landscape in Wajir County, where clan backing has traditionally played a central role in determining electoral contests.
In the 2022 Kenyan General Election, Dr. Hassan, who is a former Chief Executive Officer of the defunct National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) having served between 2003 and 2005, contested the Wajir gubernatorial seat on a Jubilee Party ticket.
He finished second to Ahmed Abdullahi Jiir of ODM. At that time, he was also endorsed by the sultanate from the Fai sub-clan of the Degodia community after a consultative selection process.
Following the election, he filed a petition challenging the gubernatorial results, alleging electoral irregularities. The courts ultimately upheld Governor Ahmed Abdullahi Jiir's election.
But speaking after the endorsement on Saturday, Dr. Hassan described the decision to endorse him for a second time as a vote of confidence and pledged to unite the community ahead of the 2027 General Election.
In quick succession, the endorsed candidate hosted 56 delegates, members of the Sultanates, the mediation team and senior Fai elders at a thanksgiving dinner on Sunday, where he said the gathering reaffirmed the community's commitment to unity and peaceful political engagement.
“The gathering was not only a moment of gratitude but also a reaffirmation of our shared commitment to unity, peace and purpose. Together, we renewed our unity pact as we journey towards the 2027 General Election,” he said.
Dr. Hassan thanked members of the Fai community for entrusting him with the responsibility of leading the clan into the gubernatorial race.
“I sincerely thank the entire Fai Nation for the confidence and trust you have placed in me. With humility and determination, I remain committed to championing good governance, inclusive leadership and meaningful development that will serve every resident of Wajir County,” he said.
He added: “Together, we move forward. Together, we shall transform Wajir.”
However, the endorsement was immediately contested by three of the candidates, who accused the nomination committee of abandoning an agreed consensus-building framework in favour of a voting process they say lacked transparency.
Former Wajir Governor Mohamed Abdi Mohamud, who served between 2017 and 2022, issued the strongest criticism, declaring that he rejected both the process and its outcome.
He said the five aspirants had unanimously agreed on a framework that required the nomination committee to first exhaust consensus before considering any alternative mechanism.
According to the former governor, the agreement expressly ruled out voting by the nomination committee. If consensus failed, candidates would first consult on a mutually acceptable solution before an Electoral College representing elders, women, youth, professionals, religious leaders, persons with disabilities and other stakeholders would conduct the final vote.
“The nomination committee failed to adhere to the agreed process. Instead of following the consensus framework and, if necessary, proceeding to the Electoral
Mohamed argued that the departure from the agreed roadmap undermined confidence in the exercise.
“For this reason, I categorically reject both the flawed nomination process and its outcome," he said.
He urged the committee to rescind its decision and implement the Electoral College model within three weeks, warning that failure to do so would leave him with "no alternative but to declare my candidature for the position of Governor of Wajir County and present myself directly to the people."
Another aspirant, Ugas Sheikh Mohamed, who chairs the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) withdrew from the process before voting saying the exercise had drifted away from its original objective of achieving consensus.
He said the three-day consultations had initially progressed well before taking what he termed “a significant and unexpected shift” to a voting process.
“I have officially withdrawn my name from the Fai consensus-building process... I made this decision after the three-day consultative meeting took a significant and unexpected shift from the consensus-building framework that we had all agreed upon from the outset to a voting process that was never part of our original understanding,” he said.
Ugas expressed concern over what he described as growing polarization among delegates warning that the community risked repeating the divisions witnessed during the 2022 elections.
“It is deeply regrettable that we now appear to be retracing the very path that led to our division during the 2022 electoral period,” he said.
He later announced that his camp would formally appeal the outcome through the appropriate channels after reviewing the entire process.
“I wish to urge all my supporters and well-wishers to remain calm, peaceful and patient... I urge every one of my supporters to await my official direction and guidance before taking any action,” he said.
A third aspirant, Hassan Wehliye Khalid, the Deputy Director and Coast Regional Manager at the EACC, also rejected the outcome, alleging procedural irregularities and bias.
He claimed candidates were excluded from the exercise despite an earlier agreement that they would be present and questioned the participation of selected religious leaders in the voting process.
“The process was conducted in the absence of the candidates, despite a clear agreement that they would be present,” he said.
He further alleged that the methodology agreed upon was not followed and accused some committee members of bias.
“Even more concerning, the nominee had prior information of the outcome, raising serious questions about the credibility, impartiality and integrity of the entire process,” he said.
Wehliye argued that leadership should emerge through a process that is "transparent, credible and genuinely reflective of the people's will," adding that he would challenge the outcome through the established appeal mechanisms.
The fifth aspirant, Mohamed Ibrahim Elmi, who is a former Cabinet Minister and Tarbaj MP, held a closed-door meeting with Fai elders after the announcement.
According to a statement from his camp, the elders requested that the process be halted to allow further consultations with the larger Degodia community, signalling that discussions over the endorsement may not yet be over.
The endorsement marks one of the earliest major political milestones ahead of the 2027 General Election in Wajir County.
However, with three of the five aspirants rejecting the outcome and another calling for further consultations, the consensus that the exercise sought to achieve appears to have remained elusive.
The appeals and possible parallel candidatures threatened by some of the aspirants could reshape the political dynamics within the Fai community and influence the broader contest for the Wajir governorship in the run-up to the 2027 polls.