Garissa's Talasame Alliance has completed its line-up for the 2027 governor race. It has endorsed Libahasigale Ward MCA Mohamed Sheikh as the running mate to Senator Abdul Haji, The Star reported on Monday.

The alliance brings together the Awliyahan and Samawadhal communities, two influential blocs in the county's clan-based politics. Under the pact, the Samawadhal will field Haji for governor. The Awliyahan will take the deputy governor slot and will also seek the Senate, Woman Representative and Garissa Township parliamentary seats.

Endorsement ceremony

Mohamed Sheikh was endorsed at a ceremony in a Garissa hotel led by Sultan Hamud Sheikh, who handed him a certificate of endorsement. "This endorsement is not merely about securing positions for individuals," the Sultan said, according to The Star. He urged supporters of the aspirants who lost out to accept the decision and to campaign with decorum.

The MCA beat three other contenders for the slot within the Awliyahan: Noordin Mohamed of the Songat sub-clan, Abdirashid Mohamed of Aden Kheir and Ali Mohamed Noor of Afwah.

"I do not take this responsibility for granted," Mohamed Sheikh said. "This alliance is bigger than any one individual." He said he was ready to deputise Haji.

Haji's long march to 2027

Haji, the son of the late Garissa Senator and former Defence Minister Yusuf Haji, has been building his bid for most of the year. In February, Samawadhal elders picked him as their sole candidate for governor, which The Star described at the time as setting the stage for a high-stakes contest. In mid-October, the senator was reported to be reaching beyond his core base, with deputy governor Abdi Dagane among those in his delegation.

Naming a running mate this early is common in the north-eastern counties. There, community elders often agree on how seats will be shared well before party primaries, to keep the votes of allied clans together. The approach brings in votes as a bloc, but it can leave aspirants who miss out feeling sidelined, which is why the Sultan appealed for unity.

A crowded field

The Talasame ticket faces strong competition. Other declared or likely contenders for governor include former governor Ali Korane, former Principal Secretary Abdi Dubat, ambassador Mohamed Shidiye and Ibrahim Abass, The Star reported.

The Star noted that the alliance's electoral strength will depend on whether it can attract support beyond the Awliyahan and Samawadhal. Garissa's electorate is spread across several clans and sub-clans.

Governor Nathif Jama is serving his second and final term, so 2027 will produce a new governor. That has drawn an unusually large field. It also means alliances such as Talasame are being formed more than a year before the ballot, as communities try to lock in their share of county leadership.

The deputy governor post has grown in importance across the country since devolution began. Several deputies have become governors after impeachments, resignations or deaths in office. For the Awliyahan, the slot is a key part of their share of power under the alliance.

Photos: The Star (Mohamed Sheikh receives his endorsement certificate; Senator Abdul Haji meets supporters in Garissa).