Wiper’s Omar and Awiti in new unity bid to oust Joho

The Wiper Democratic Movement has renewed its efforts to unseat Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho in next year’s elections, as its two aspirants announced a joint pact.

The party’s Secretary-General, Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar, and Treasurer Hezron Awiti (Nyali MP) indicated on Friday that the candidate could be picked through an internal agreement.

The possibility of the two uniting might further complicate the race for Cord against Jubilee Party (JP).

Former Kisauni MP Ananiah Mwaboza and Mr Suleiman Shahbal have announced they will go for the seat on a JP ticket.

Speaking at Tononoka Grounds in Mombasa, where the leaders went to inspect the venue for their party’s rally on Sunday, Mr Omar said they would agree on one candidate to vie against Mr Joho and expressed confidence that the next Mombasa Governor will be from Wiper.

“Mr Awiti and I want to unseat the incumbent. But our candidature will be decided either through nomination or an internal party process. But whoever comes out the winner in whichever way, we will all back him. The agenda is to remove Mr Joho,” said Mr Omar.

He accused Mr Joho’s government of having failed to deliver promised services to the people of Mombasa.

Mr Omar also dismissed the talk of the Coast being an ODM zone, saying it was an Opposition stronghold with Wiper, ODM and Ford-Kenya all having similar popularity.

The pact was, however, dismissed by Mombasa Woman Rep Mishi Mboko, who noted it was “inconsequential” and added the two “will go nowhere”.

“In 2013, Awiti, Omar and Shahbal all campaigned against Joho and he floored them. I don’t think there is anything special they are going to do this time round,” she said.

She said the governor’s brigade comprising herself, and fellow lawmakers Omar Mwinyi (Changamwe), Rashid Bedzimba (Kisauni) and Badi Twalib (Jomvu) was a formidable force.

MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT

But according to political analysts, if the unity comes to fruition, Mr Joho might have to go back to the drawing board.

“The coming together of the two politicians should not be wished away. They are capable of giving Mr Joho a run for his money,” said Mr Geoffreyson Khamala, a political science lecturer at the University of Nairobi.
Mr Awiti said that the two of them were candidates for the governor’s seat “but very close friends ready to support each other. I have no war with Mr Omar”.

“We are the party that will bring unity and equal opportunities for all – women, youth, and people with disabilities. We will make sure all the people eat meat and that not a section of the population just salivates,” he said.

Mr Omar said the Wiper party would tomorrow make four major political declarations at the rally that would a culmination of their leader, Mr Kalonzo Musyoka’s, four-day tour of the coast.

“Preparations are complete for the historic rally that will be attended by all the 30 Wiper MPs and a host of MCA’s and supporters. We are calling on all Cord supporters to turn out in large numbers to fill up the venue,” he said.