DUALLE IS RIGHT TO DISOWN MERCENARIES VOTES

EDITORIAL

During March 2013 general election thousands of Garissa residents, were conned by power thirsty parliamentary candidates from their respective clan backyard, who were unsure of a win in their respective constituencies outside Garissa Township to register and caste their precious voters outside, where they had a permanent residents.

Majority of these voters who knew well they will ultimately come back to Garissa town to stay for the next five and more years, after the one day poll exercise, were made to believe they were traveling out of their home towns of Garissa for a worthy course of defending their clans, from a perceived threats from rival clans' candidates.

These votes migrants shouted themselves horse, precariously hanged on dangerously driven vehicle, burnt bridges with a candidate who was sure to win the Garissa Township parliamentary seat then, as well as 20017 (Insha'Allah).

They allowed themselves to be carried like goats headed for auction market on the rooftops of hired buses, lorries and other deplorable transport means to Ijara, Dadaab, Lagdera, Fafi and Balambala to register and cast their voters. 

They left Garissa virtually a ghost town as they shifted out in large number to vote in other constituencies where they had no interests other than to serve the temporarily interests of a cunning politicians. 

Many slept under tree or in open ground like refugees with their children for days praising those abusing them, they were left hungry in areas where they have gone purportedly to safeguard their clan "interests".

Today their misery is even bigger- they are political orphans who are not welcomed in their own home town (Garissa) neither are they known in areas where they cast their votes.

They are denied CDF in Garissa because they have surrendered their electrol residence at the time of the election, while at the same time, they are not recognized as residents in the constituencies, where they have gone to exercise their democratic rights of voting.

By registering and voting in other constituencies outside Garissa Township purportedly to help their clan candidates ascend into power, these voters’ mercenaries, have declared themselves persona non Grata in Garissa Township politically speaking.

This isn’t to say that the voters’ migrants have lost their rights to be Garissa residents, but for sure they have unfortunately surrendered their rights in accessing benefit from the Garissa Township. 

Those who remained back, whether they voted Hon. Dualle or not they have all the legitimate rights to demand their fair share of being represented fairly by the majority leaders and get all the constituency resources. 

In fact, they don’t have to beg for that. Its every voter’s constitutional right to vote whoever candidate he/she wants in an election.

As Hon. Aden Dualle has rightfully put it, those who went to vote in Balambala, Lagdera or Ijara should never bother with him with their application forms for CDF scholarships instead they should send their bursary applications to their respective constituencies where they voted.

It doesn't matter whether their preferred candidate win or loss. There lies there rights to CDF.

In nutshell, they shouldn’t expect to reap where they never planted politically speaking.

For the victims, who were being duped of their electrol rights by unscrupulous politician only concerned with their interests into getting to the August House, this should be unforgettable lesson well learnt. 

People should know that, politic is a five years investment business and in any business you must invested wisely and where you live.

You can’t invest a “shop” in Ijara or Dadaab and expected to ripe its profit will seated your legs crossed in Garissa.

No voter, should accept to be cheated once more by political scavangers to take their votes outside their home towns, by doing so is denying themselves and children rights to CDF and privileges that are surely shared at the constituency level.