“I have heard of people questioning my capabilities. If they cannot win the top seat, then that is their problem. As for me, I will not stop at anything else apart from the presidency,” Joho said.
Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho has said he will be running for president in 2022 and that his march is unstoppable.
Joho said he has already delivered his nomination papers to the ODM party and expects full support from luminaries including leader Raila Odinga if he wins the primaries.
Joho is the deputy party leader of ODM.
“I have heard of people questioning my capabilities. If they cannot win the top seat, then that is their problem. As for me, I will not stop at anything else apart from the presidency,” Joho said.
The governor who is serving his second and final term says he is ready to lead the country.
“I have the ability to lead this country. If Uhuru can lead, I’m also able to lead. If Raila can lead, so am I. Let no one tell you that someone from Coast cannot be the president of Kenya,” he said.
He was speaking at Makadara grounds on Friday evening when he issued county bursaries.
Joho said the Coast region has over the years been supporting certain candidates for the presidency and that it was time a leader from the region was supported for the top seat.
“Today, they are telling you that Joho lacks the ability to be president. My friends, I have the ability and I’m ready. This time around, we shall be counted at the presidential ballot.”
Joho said he is banking on the youths whom he said won't be swayed to vote on the basis of tribes.
“In 2022, we shall have voters who were born after the year 2000, who do not subscribe to tribal beliefs. They can vote for whoever they love, even if they come from the minority,” he said.
Joho’s quest for presidency has been described as laughable by his critics.
Former Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar and Nyali MP Mohammed Ali has said Joho does not qualify to even run for president. Both Omar and Ali are supporting Deputy President William Ruto to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2022.
Joho has dismissed their criticism.
“Hassan Joho is as Kenyan as anyone else. If they were born in Sugoi (referring to Ruto), I was born in Mombasa,” said Joho.
The governor said he supports the Building the Bridges Initiative because it will ensure more resource allocations to counties.
Joho said Mombasa expects to get three additional constituencies if the Constitutional (Amendment) Bill, 2020 goes as planned and Kenyans approve it in a referendum.
The bill is currently being debated by county assemblies. Kisumu, Siaya and Homa Bay have already approved the bill that is anchored on the BBI. Baringo MCAs voted to reject it on Thursday.
The BBI proposes an additional 70 constituencies to be allocated to counties with bigger population quotas.
Constituencies currently receive about Sh100 million per year for development under the CDF kitty. So additional constituencies will come with more funding.
“If Mombasa gets three more constituencies there will be an additional Sh390 million coming to our constituencies. The county will also be receiving close Sh15 billion in revenue share,” Joho said.
Edited by P.O