- PAA has been opening new offices.
- It is in the process of registering members countrywide ahead of its official launch, which has yet to be scheduled.
Image: ALPHONCE GARI
Image: ALPHONCE GARI
Image: ALPHONCE GARI
Mvita MP Abdulswamad Sharif Nassir has criticised the formation of the Pamoja African Alliance, a new Coast-based political party allied to Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi.
PAA has been opening new offices. It is in the process of registering members countrywide ahead of its official launch, which has yet to be scheduled.
Nassir said Kingi has the democratic right to form a party but the timing is questionable as the country is less than 10 months to a general election.
He said PAA was not the first party to be formed on the Coast, citing others like the Coast People's Party, Kadu, Kadu Asili and Shirikisho.
"I would urge anyone who wants to start a political party not to do it a year before elections because you will not be propelling an agenda; instead you will be propelling an interest," he said.
He said anyone interested in forming a party should do soon after the 2022 election so that by 2027 it will be "a vehicle, not a toy car".
Nassir spoke as other ODM diehards also opposed the formation of the PAA. They were in Malindi town, Kilifi, for a meeting called by Lennox Pande, a Malindi MP aspirant, who is seeking to be elected on the Orange party's ticket.
They vowed to campaign against all leaders who were elected through ODM but have turned into rebels and are using the wealth they acquired after being elected to form their own party.
Paul Mzungu, one of the outspoken ODM supporters in Malindi, said the leaders who have betrayed Raila will not see the light of day as they want to take Kilifians back to Egypt after the party leader initiated the journey to Canaan.
Mzungu said the party being formed in Kilifi county belongs to individuals and shall not benefit the people.
"If you were voted in by the poor person today the same person is suffering because of famine in Ganze, Adu Kamale, majority of the people have been affected by the drought disaster, yet you are establishing PAA instead of food, who will vote for you?" he said.
He said some leaders used ODM to reach where they are but instead of sticking to the party, they are forming their own 10 months to the 2022 election.
"Since the leaders were elected, they have not had a meeting in Malindi organised by ODM," he said.
He said some Kilifi MCAs joined UDA and PAA but still pretend to be in ODM. Mzungu urged ODM leader Raila Odinga to go to the ground and listen to the cries of the people, who, all along, have stood by him despite efforts by some leaders to decamp.
He said they will vote as a bloc regardless of ethnic groups.
CIPK Malindi secretary general Athman Ali termed it unfortunate for leaders to use ODM to get to power, only to dump the party once they get rich.
He said Kingi has been nurtured by Raila and ODM and made a Cabinet minister in two ministries before he was elected governor in 2013.
Ali at the same time told ODM not to interfere in nominations in Malindi as they did in 2017 when they brought moles who betrayed the party.
"We are telling Governor Kingi, we were your footsoldiers who put you in power. Today you are bringing us PAA, which has no house, we leave it to you alone," he said.
Stephen Opiyo said they were ready to take ODM to a higher level with the people on board.
"You cannot bring PAA now, yet people in Kaloleni have no water. How will PAA help the people of Kaloleni and Malindi?" he asked.
Pande said he looked for the ODM members to begin his political journey with the local people and vowed to adopt consultative and inclusive leadership if elected.
The hopeful, who hails from Msabaha, said he came specifically to introduce himself as a Malindi ODM parliamentary aspirant.
"I came to revive the ODM party, which has been abandoned. I called for the meeting because you are the system. I planned this meeting without notifying the party leaders," he said.