The United Democratic Movement (UDM), a party founded by Deputy President William Ruto and other Kenya African National Union (KANU) rebels in 1999, clinched the governor's, senator's and four parliamentary seats in Mandera County.
Governor-elect, Mohamed Adan Khalif garnered 53,185 votes with ODM's Hassan Noor Hassan and Jubilee's Adan Mohamed coming second and third with 40,443 and 40,274 votes respectively.
Khalif, who served as Mandera County Assembly speaker, succeeds outgoing governor, Ali Roba, who won the senatorial seat on a UDM ticket.
The senator-elect defeated Jubilee's Mohamed Maalim Mohamud who represented Mandera in the Senate for 15 years. Mohamud congratulated Roba on his election.
“It has been a great honour and privilege to have served my people as an elected leader for the past 15 years. I had the unique opportunity of being elected to Parliament for three consecutive terms. I am deeply indebted and grateful,” Mohamud stated.
“The results of the current elections are being concluded and I have not been victorious. I accept the will of Allah and concede. As I exit, I wish to ask our supporters to accept the results and move on,” he added.
In the parliamentary race, UDM's Bashir Abdullahi, Adan Haji Yussuf, Kullow Maalim and Abdi Wahab Harow bagged the Mandera North, Mandera West, Banisa and Mandera South parliamentary seats respectively.
Mandera Senator-Elect, Ali Roba acquired the UDM party from the late retired general John Koech to champion the interests of the North Eastern region. Koech served as chairman of the party prior to his demise in 2020.
UDM was initially denied registration in 1999 after being formed by Ruto and other KANU rebels.
Its officials blamed the late President Daniel Moi in a memorandum of appeal filed in court. They alleged that the registrar of societies succumbed to pressure from the late President, who was also the national chairman of then ruling party KANU.
In 2007, Ruto sought refuge in the party after he fell out with former Prime Minister, Raila Odinga.
However, UDM officials accused him of attempting to orchestrate a forceful takeover. Koech filed a petition at the Political Parties Dispute Tribunal alleging that the DP and his allies sought to kick him from the party.
Ruto left and formed the United Republican Party (URP) which formed a coalition with President Uhuru Kenyatta's The National Alliance (TNA) party in 2007.
The two leaders merged their parties to form Jubilee in September 2016.
In the same year, UDM unveiled former Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Senior Counsel Philip Murgor as its flagbearer. Murgor, however, pulled out from the race after claiming that his life was in danger.
“I have received information that my candidature has a specific bearing on the political fortunes of certain powerful individuals in government, who will stop at nothing to frustrate my candidature," Murgor stated in a letter written to then Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinett.
UDM in the August 9, 2022 polls supported Azimio La Umoja presidential candidate, Raila Odinga against Ruto who ran on a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket.
Roba promised to deliver 100% of North Eastern votes to Azimio.
Other UDM candidates in the 2022 General Election included Wajir gubernatorial candidate, Abass Sheikh Mohamed who lost to ODM’s Ahmed Abdullahi Jiir.
Veteran politician Nicholas Gumbo also contested on a UDM ticket in the Siaya County gubernatorial race but lost to ODM's James Orengo.
