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Kenya: Raila Odinga’s Headache in Hassan Joho Succession in Mombasa

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5 years ago

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The race to succeed Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho in next year’s polls has put ODM leader Raila Odinga in a tight corner as the contest is pitting a perceived loyalist against a party hopper, with each of them seeking his backing.

Mombasa businessman Suleiman Shahbal, who announced his defection from the ruling Jubilee coalition and return to ODM, has sent back to the drawing board Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir, who had all along expected to have an easy nomination to contest for the top county seat on the Orange party’s ticket.

Mr Nassir has been an ODM loyalist, while Mr Shahbal defected to Jubilee when his attempt to unseat Mr Joho on an ODM ticket flopped after he failed to clinch the party’s nomination.

Mr Odinga’s visit to the Coast on Thursday last week raised the stakes as he maintained the party will conduct competitive nominations to choose the party’s flagbearer for the county’s top seat.

Mr Nassir has put on a brave face in the wake of the new competition, as Mr Odinga’s meeting with Mr Shabhal and announcement of a competitive nomination contest appears to have rubbed him the wrong way.

Campaign season

Speaking at the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital, Mr Nassir castigated Mr Shahbal, who in the last campaign season made life hard for ODM members while he campaigned for Jubilee.

“We have seen some who have been at the forefront tarnishing Raila’s name and his party claiming it’s a tribal outfit are back. I would like to tell him, I will be the Mombasa governor on an ODM ticket since we know voters and the party is not short of mind. They can recall and know who is for his own interests and does not have the party in his heart,” said Mr Nassir.