Ruto schemes against ODM in Malindi by-election – Weekly Citizen

William Ruto is taking an impending MCA by-election in Ganda ward, Malindi constituency, Kilifi county seriously.
Sources have revealed that apart from having already deployed a team on the ground to meet influential local personalities and convince them to join the political camp of Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa, the DP is also understood to have reached out to Kilifi governor Amason Kingi for a political deal on the election.

Kingi

It is claimed, the DP wants the Kilifi governor not to be actively involved in the campaigns for the ODM candidate and instead let the Mombasa governor Hassan Joho be at the forefront.
The DP believes, if Joho becomes the face of the Ganda ward by-election campaigns, Jumwa fronted candidate Abdulrahaman Omar will sail through easily. The election is slated for October 17.

Joho

Instructively, there have been off and on supremacy battles between Joho and Kingi over the control and direction of Coast politics which Ruto seems to be capitalising on. Kingi has been leaning towards Ruto who has in the past insulated him against investigations of corruption.
At the same time, while the Mombasa governor has fully embraced the handshake, between Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga, the Kilifi governor has been lukewarm about it.
During past campaigns for ODM in Kilifi county, there have been ill feelings in Kingi’s camp over claims that the Mombasa governor was being given too much preference by top party leadership at the expense of the Kilifi county boss who on his part, has no say in Mombasa issues.

Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa with Deputy president William Ruto

The looming by-election follows High Court’s nullification of area MCA’s election after a petition by his two opponents Joseph Kiponda of Jubilee and Kadu Asili’s Reuben Katana.
ODM has since picked Katana as its candidate for the by-election while Jumwa is pushing for Omar to recapture the seat as an independent candidate. Jubilee has indicated that it will front Kiponda, something that ODM is not comfortable with as this has the potential to split the votes in favour of the Ruto backed candidate.
Some ODM supporters in Ganda ward wanted ODM to pick Kiponda who is said to be more popular but former Malindi MP Willy Mtengo reportedly fought off the choice and managed to convince the party to settle on Katana.
It is said ODM through Joho has prepared a huge budget for the by-election being aware that should the seat be won by Ruto through Jumwa, the party’s bragging rights in the region will be severely eroded.
If Governor Kingi stays away from the by-election campaigns, it will be catastrophic for ODM as this could mark the beginning of the end of the dominance the party has enjoyed in the region.

Philip Charo

Another factor that ODM has to deal with in the by-election is Philip Charo who hails from the Ganda ward. Charo, a former NIC Bank Coast region manager who contested for the Malindi parliamentary seat in the last general elections on a Jubilee party ticket and gave Jumwa a run for her money is an influential figure in the area.
Observers say, had Charo chosen a different party ticket other than Jubilee, he would have won the Malindi seat easily. But instead, he chose to stick with the ruling party against advice from his associates and supporters and heeding advice of Uhuru and Ruto who were by then close to him.
Sources say Charo will play an important role in determining the winner in the by-election given that he enjoys following in the area as demonstrated by the high number of votes he garnered from the ward in the last general elections. The ward has over 16,000 votes.
It is however not clear which candidate Charo will be backing in the by-election. Athough initially a close ally of Ruto, reports that the DP blocked him from landing a government appointment in the ministry of Transport, to please Jumwa, puts him off from joining DP’s side.
It is said millions of shillings are to be spent in the Ganda ward by-election campaigns as national political protagonists plan to use it to test their influence and strength in Coast politics.

Malindi MP Aisha jumwa

The Independent Electoral and (IEBC) has cleared all the four aspirants for the by-election in Ganda Ward. The Returning Officer, Jumaa Musa, approved the nomination of (ODM) party flag bearer Reuben Mwamure Katana and David Mitsanze of Kadu Asili party. Mitsanze arrived conspicuously alone aboard a motorcycle at the IEBC offices for clearance while all other contenders arrived accompanied by their supporters. Musa cleared Abdulrahman Omar Mohamed, defending his seat as an independent candidate and Joseph Ngumbao Kiponda of the Jubilee Party.
There was panic in Mohamed alias Abdhere camp, when he was sent away to look for authentic signatures only to return to the IEBC offices later where he was eventually cleared within minutes before walking away without addressing the media. Kiponda, who is fondly referred to as Joseppe, was cleared and immediately urged his supporters to remain calm during the campaign period and desist from politics of hatred and insults.
Kiponda’s supporters urged Jubilee Party’s National officials led by the Party Leader, President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy Party Leader, Deputy President, William Ruto to throw their weight behind the party candidate and ignore a candidate being fronted by Aisha Jumwa.
They specifically asked Dr. Ruto to go to Ganda and campaign for the Jubilee Party candidate, Kiponda, saying his actions or inaction during the campaign period would determine whether to continue supporting him in his presidential bid in 2022 or not.
Jumwa, who is the DP’s right hand person in Malindi, is supporting former incumbent Abdul Omara Mohamed, whose election victory was quashed by the courts, and has vowed to teach her ODM party a lesson for attempting to discipline her for supporting the DP. On their part, ODM officials and supporters have vowed to use the Ganda by-election to send Jumwa to political oblivion.