Mombasa cement tycoon hand in Malindi politics – Weekly Citizen

Kilifi North MP Owen Baya has disowned his political association with Deputy President William Ruto, saying he had never stopped supporting ODM leader Raila Odinga.

Kilifi North MP Owen Baya

Owen has been among a group of Coast ODM MPs who had declared their support for DP Ruto’s 2022 presidential ambitions. But he has changed tune, claiming he only supported the handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila.

Sources close to the MP revealed that the about-turn is a protest against Ruto’s endorsement of Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa as his preferred candidate for Kilifi gubernatorial seat in 2022 general elections.

Others say,his move has been influenced by Mombasa cemnent tycoon Hosmukh Patel.

Close associates of Owen say, the DP had told the Kilifi North MP to shelf his governor ambitions and instead support Jumwa whom according to Ruto will be easy to sell to Kilifi county voters.

It is said being asked to step down for Jumwa did not go down well with the MP’s political camp, given that he has already activated his campaign financiers abroad and locally. Sources say, the legislator has a foundation through which foreign funding will flow through.

Locally, the MP is counting on Mombasa Cement to finance his campaigns to the tune of millions. The relationship between the legislator and proprietors of the cement manufacturer reportedly deepened during the time he served as Kilifi county secretary.

Gideon Mung’aro

It is claimed Owen assisted Mombasa Cement to overcome a high profile battle spearheaded by his predecessor Gedion Mung’aro (Now Chief Administrative Secretary,lands) who wanted the company to surrender a big chunk of land to squatters. Mung’aro had romped in a parliamentary committee in which he was a member to investigate the land grabbing. The firm had illegally acquired land LR No MN-11-290 and LR No MN-11-289.

Sources claim that in the last general elections, Mombasa Cement officials took an active role to ensure that Mung’aro never won the governorship seat. It was feared that if Mung’aro were to become Kilifi governor he would have revive the land matter.

It is against this backdrop that observers are pointing out that Owen as being groomed by the cement tycoons to block Mung’aro from becoming governor.

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t is said, the Jumwa camp does not see Owen as a political threat as long as he is not governor Amason Kingi’s preferred successor. So far, the governor is mum about his successor. The county chief’s critics accuse him of being a fence sitter.

The governor’s newfound rapport with Mung’aro has however rattled Jumwa’s camp. But Kingi has denied of any political scheming with the lands chief administrative secretary.

Mung’aro was currently close to ODM leader Raila and Mombasa governor Hassan Joho in the pro-handshake arrangement. This closeness is not sitting pretty with Owen who fears that Mung’aro could end up being allowed to contest on an ODM ticket. Kilifi county is still pro-opposition.