Politics played out on Monday as ODM leader Raila Odinga condoled with Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir and the families of his staff who perished in a car crash in Lamu on Saturday.
Raila, who had a packed schedule in Kilifi county, had to cancel some of his activities to meet with the bereaved families at Mvita’s Seven Up and Floringi areas in Mombasa.
Opening an ODM office in Kilifi and addressing a rally at Mtwapa were some of the activities cancelled.
Raila, accompanied by Siaya Senator James Orengo, Suna East MP Junet Mohamed, former Kisauni MP Rashid Bedzimba and Mombasa businessman Abu Joho, arrived at Nassir’s family home at Seven Up at around 5.10pm.
Also present were Jomvu MP Badi Twalib and Mombasa Woman Rep Asha Hussein.
Raila, Orengo, Junet and Abu were whisked into the house amid supporters' frenzy after being received by MPs Nassir and Twalib.
Bedzimba was, however, blocked at the entrance as Nassir supporters declared him persona non grata.
Bedzimba has declared his support for Mombasa businessman Suleiman Shahbal, who is Nassir's competitor in the governor race. Both are eyeing the ODM ticket.
It took the intervention of Abu to have Bedzimba allowed in.
Raila condoled with Nassir's family, whose friend Ali Naaman died in the crash.
Naaman was the late MP Shariff Nassir’s personal assistant before he became Abdulswamad Nassir's personal assistant. He was buried at the Sargoi Cemetery.
Raila also condoled with Caroline Wayua Mueni’s family represented by her grandmother. Caro, as she was popularly known, lived with her grandmother at Ganjoni after being orphaned.
Earlier, there was tension as Abdulrahim Kajembe, alias Kim Kim, arrived to condole with MP Nassir.
Kim Kim, who is Twalib’s brother-in-law, has declared interest in the Jomvu seat.
There is no love lost between the two, although Twalib has been offering an olive branch to his younger brother-in-law.
Kim Kim is the third son of the later Changamwe MP Ramadhan Kajembe’s trying to wrest the Jomvu seat from Twalib, who married their step-sister Thurea Kajembe.
He and his brother Mwidani Kajembe were reluctant to greet Twalib who was seated next to Nassir.
However, despite their political differences, Twalib held Kim Kim’s hand and introduced him to Raila at Governor Hassan Joho’s Nyali residence where Raila went to board a chopper to Kwale.
Raila handlers wanted to beat the 6pm deadline for chopper rides in the country.
At the Joho residence, Nassir introduced Mohamed Soud Machele to Raila. Machele wants to succeed Nassir as Mvita MP.
In a video clip seen by the Star, Raila is seen holding Machele’s hand as they walk towards a waiting chopper with Nassir beside them.
Twalib is also seen rushing to introduce Kim Kim to Raila, holding his hand.
“I am a mature person and political differences do not make me forget that we are one family,” Twalib told the Star.
Kim Kim said their political differences have not made them enemies.
“Twalib is a brother. We have no beef. We are just in a political contest. I hope he heeds Junet's advice and goes for the Senate seat instead.
“If he does not and wants to defend his seat then we will meet at the nominations,” Kim Kim said on the phone.
However, Twalib said no one has told him to go for the Senate seat.
“I will defend my seat. I have been in politics long enough to know how propaganda works,” he said.
“The only thing Junet told me is to accompany them to Ukunda on Tuesday.”
Unconfirmed reports indicate Raila asked ODM members to remain united as they seek to fulfil their political ambitions.
“Raila appeared to be telling Twalib and the Kajembes to solve their differences,” said a source.
-Edited by SKanyara
