NASA leaders at the Coast are divided over who to support for Kwale senator following Juma Boy’s death.
Boy, 58, died after a short illness on Sunday. He was laid to rest at his Vanga home on Monday.
A group of NASA leaders, imams and scholars have fronted the brother of ODM acting secretary general Agnes Zani.
Nicholas Zani had expressed interest in running for governor, but the Council of Imams group has tried to convince him to run for Senate.
Another group, supported by the Mombasa leadership, does not support Nicholas.
This has caused discord.
“The senator post is not for inheritance like in a kingdom. This is a democratic post that any Kwale resident has a right to go for. That is why we have asked Zani to take it up,” Council of Imams branch secretary Hamisi Banda said on Wednesday.
He spoke after visiting Zani at his Golini home in Kwale.
Nicholas said he will decide whether to run for senator in two days.
He said if elected, he will ensure Boy’s family is considered for county jobs in appreciation for their father’s dedication to the party.
Banda said residents from Lunga Lunga, Matuga, Msambweni and Kinango subcounties trust Nicholas.
He said ODM leader Raila Odinga could lose support in Kwale if he treats it like a subcounty. It is claimed Mombasa politicians control Kwale politics.
“In 2012, people decided leaders for us in Msambweni, Lunga Lunga and all of Kilifi county. These leaders left ODM for other parties,” Banda said.
He said residents will support candidates from other parties “if Raila does not to allow Kwale ODM leaders to make major decisions, including who should run for governor and senator”.
Christians not happy
“You saw on Monday they tried to force a candidate to say he is in ODM, but he refused, saying he is in NASA, meaning he is not our own,” Banda said.
He was referring to Chirau Mwakwere who defected from Jubilee on Sunday after resigning from his post as ambassador to Tanzania.
Kwale ODM secretary Omar Boga said fronting Zani will ensure Christians get a chance at leadership.
“We have a governor, woman representative and deputy governor who are Muslims and Christians were not happy about it, but we have decided as ODM to include them in the leadership,” he said.
Boga said the branch leadership will not allow leaders to be imposed on them.
“In 2013, we saw people come to the party at the last minute, and that is why we have seen Governor Salim Mvurya move to Jubilee,” Boga said.
Mwakwere to run for governor
On Tuesday, Mwakwere paid Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho a courtesy call and they discussed Coast politics.
The two agreed on ways to promote ODM in the region.
Mwakwere defected to ODM after ditching Jubilee, which has favoured ODM defector Salim Mvurya for reelection as county chief.
Mvurya abandoned Raila’s camp in September last year for JP. It has been said Mwakwere wants Joho to fully back him for the ODM ticket.
A source at Joho’s office said Mwakwere is keen on working with Joho to beat Mvurya.
“Joho assured Mwakwere that ODM will conduct free and fair nominations to secure the win,” the source said.
Joho said, “We discussed the Coastal geopolitical environment, especially with a focus on Kwale county.”
The Kwale governor’s job has also attracted assembly speaker Sammy Ruwa,Gereza Dena, Issa Chipera and Mwachai Mwarapayo. Most of them seek the ODM ticket.
ODM leaders have said they want to punish Mvurya at the ballot for what some have termed betrayal.
It was in this spirit that Joho and his Kilifi counterpart Amason Kingi reaffirmed that they will hold joint campaigns against Mvurya.
But Uhuru and Deputy President William Ruto have endorsed Mvurya’s reelection. Mwakwere was appointed by Uhuru after losing the Kwale Senateseat in 2013 on a URP ticket to Boy Juma Boy in 2013.