Omar fights for delicate unity in Mombasa UDA camps

UDA vice chair Hassan Omar has moved to stall a possible fallout within his camp in Mombasa county ahead of the June 22 grassroots elections.

The ruling party has made in-roads in the ODM-dominated county and any fallout could negate all the efforts made and weaken the party.

Businessmen-cum-politicians Ali Kitaka and Wambua Mutungwa, two of the aspirants eying the UDA Mombasa county chair position, are allies of Omar.

On Saturday, Omar asked them to agree on who among them will go for the position.

“You have to come up with a decision by Thursday so we can know how to move forward from there,” Omar said.

He spoke at Mvumoni in Bofu ward, Likoni during the hand-over ceremony of a Sh6 million house he constructed for the family of the late Salim Kuuza, who unsuccessfully vied for the Bofu MCA seat in the 2022 general elections.

Kitaka however said Mutungwa should let him vie for the position.

“My brother has had the torch shined on him because he has somewhere he can harvest. Let us also get somewhere so we can at least be on an equal pedestal. That is what social justice is,” Kitaka said.

He was referring to Mutungwa’s position as a director at the Kenya Pipeline Company board.

But Mutungwa said he is ready to do whatever Omar asks, throwing the ball back to the former senator. 

“We are lucky we have a boss who loves us equally and does not show bias towards anyone. As a loyal servant, I await his word,” he said.

There are four camps in the UDA party in Mombasa. One is led by Omar, another by Nyali MP Mohammed Ali, while presidential advisor Karisa Nzai and Nominated Senator Miraj Abdillahi each lead another.

Efforts to unite these camps have been ongoing, as party heads in Nairobi are fearful the division could scuttle President William Ruto’s re-election bid.

Omar said his camp is the biggest and strongest and anyone outside it will be swept away, first in the June 22 UDA grassroots elections and then in 2027 general elections.

He said it is unfortunate that those opposed to his political moves are all within the party, suggesting backstabbing among the larger UDA camp in Mombasa.

He warned that Mombasa people could miss out on all the benefits that come with UDA to the county, if there will be no unity.

“We have lobbied and got investors with almost Sh60 billion who will be coming to the Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone. Let us make sure our people get jobs in the SEZ. Don’t let Mombasa people lose this because of lack of unity,” he said.

Without naming any specifics, Omar said a close relationship with the country’s top authorities should translate to tangible benefits for the people on the ground.

“You cannot tell me you are closest to the president or the deputy president yet your people are sleeping hungry.” 

He said UDA must stand firm in Mombasa, and for this to happen, differences must be set aside and all must work together.

The EALA MP also warned against giving false promises to the people.

“Some of us work in silence to seek opportunities for others. We don’t shout on podia what we have done because people have eyes and ears.

“Those shouting about what they have done to the people are not genuine,” he said.

Omar also defended the Kenya Kwanza policy on housing levy that will help fund the affordable housing program, saying it will help create social justice among Kenyans.

Social justice is about ensuring the rich help the poor get decent lives, he said, adding that all Kenyans deserve a meaningful, decent place to live in.

“So, a small amount being deducted from salaried Kenyans will not make anyone poor.”