ODM ticket for Mombasa governor should not go to party hoppers, Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir has said.
In an interview with the Star, Abdulswamab declared he is not fighting for the ODM ticket but to be Mombasa governor in the 2022 General Election.
“While I can’t say the ODM ticket is ours for the taking, but equally I am not asking for endorsement or anything but some things are logical. Some people have changed parties like 10 times surely,” the legislator said.
He said the final decision will be made by the people.
“Let the voters themselves decide on the ballot. There should not be a falling out at the party. If they decide that we are ahead, it should be very clear to them as well,” the Mvita MP said, saying he has been an ODM member for more than 10 years.
Abdulswamad was alluding to former Mombasa gubernatorial aspirant Suleiman Shahbal who left Jubilee in July this year and rejoined ODM as a life member.
He has also been seen with ODM leader Raila Odinga during his Coast visits, pitting him against Abdulswamad who is also seeking to succeed Joho.
Shahbal accompanied Raila to Murang’a on July 27, when Royal Media Services chairman S. K. Macharia hosted the former Prime Minister for the Skiza Thanksgiving Ceremony.
Shahbal vied for the county’s top post in the 2017 general elections under the Jubilee ticket, losing to Governor Hassan Joho.
Joho garnered 221,363 votes, beating Shahbal to second place with 69,429 votes.
In 2013, Shabal had vied for Mombasa governor on Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper ticket after he left ODM. He also lost to Joho in the race. The county is one of ODM’s key strongholds.
Others interested in the governor seat are former Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar (UDA), Kisauni MP Ali Mbogo (Wiper), ex-county secretary Francis Thoya and Deputy Governor William Kingi.
Abdulswamad said he has represented his people in and outside Parliament and it is now his time to be governor.
He says Governor Joho has tried despite the challenges he has faced, if he becomes the county boss, he would ensure better communication and public participation.
“Some things that people need to do should also have been done quicker. The people need to know what is happening and where their money is going,” he said.
“After the projects are done, people need to be told what has been done.”
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
