ISIOLO ELDERS AND RELIGIOUS LEADERS WARN MCAS AGAINST FOREIGN INTERFERENCE IN GOVERNOR GUYO’S IMPEACHMENT BID
Elders and religious leaders representing Isiolo’s diverse ethnic communities have strongly cautioned Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) against allowing external political forces to influence their push to impeach Governor Abdi Guyo. The leaders warned that such interference—especially from politicians in neighboring counties—is a dangerous move that risks plunging Isiolo back into ethnic unrest.
Speaking at a press briefing in Isiolo town, the elders condemned the impeachment efforts, describing them as externally driven and politically motivated. They expressed concern that the MCAs were being used to settle scores that have nothing to do with the interests of Isiolo residents.
The leaders present included Sheikh Ibrahim Mohamed Qabale, Chairperson of the National Muslim Leaders Forum (NAMLEF) Isiolo Chapter; Abdulkadir Shariff Abdullahi, Chairperson of the Somali Council of Elders; Geoffrey Kinyua Nabea, Chairperson of the Ameru Njuri Ncheke Council of Elders; and Sarah Muthoni, Chairperson of Minority Communities in Isiolo, among others.
The elders also castigated the MCAs for abandoning their families and constituencies since tabling the impeachment notice more than 10 days ago. Responding to a press statement issued by 16 MCAs from an undisclosed location—where they claimed to be in hiding for fear of their safety—the elders questioned the credibility of such claims. They noted the contradiction in leaving their spouses and children behind in the same environment they allege is unsafe, while also switching off their phones to avoid dialogue.
The elders insisted that the impeachment initiative did not originate within the Isiolo County Assembly but was instead engineered by politicians from outside the county. According to them, this move undermines the hard-earned peace and coexistence that Isiolo communities have maintained in recent years.
Ekwan Teru, a Turkana elder and former MCA for Ngaremara Ward, went further to name the Governor of Marsabit County and the Senator of Mandera as key figures allegedly behind the efforts to unseat Governor Guyo. He called on those leaders to focus on serving their own constituents and allow Isiolo residents to resolve their internal matters independently.
The elders warned that continued interference from “foreign quarters” could reignite the kind of ethnic tensions witnessed two decades ago—times when fear confined residents indoors, and basic activities like relieving oneself had to be done in buckets out of fear of attacks.
They also urged those pushing for the impeachment to respect court orders and refrain from forcibly conducting the scheduled public participation forum, which they said could inflame tensions between opposing sides and destabilize the current peace.
Despite the tensions, the elders made an impassioned call for calm, urging the public to reject incitement and maintain peaceful coexistence. They warned against sliding back into the chaos of the past and appealed to all Isiolo residents to safeguard the unity and stability that the county has worked so hard to achieve
