•The two are battling for the ticket to fly the party flag.
•Awiti in 2013 and Ali in 2017 complained of bias towards Saido in the run-up to the party nominations pushing them out of the party. However, they still supported Raila.
ODM party has vowed to reclaim the Nyali seat that has always eluded them since 2013.
The first occupant was Hezron Awiti, who ditched ODM for Wiper and won.
Awiti was then ousted in 2017 by Mohammed Ali, who ditched ODM to be an independent candidate.
On Saturday, ODM Mombasa chair Mohamed ‘Dee’ Khamis and secretary general Geoffrey Busaka said the occupants of the seats have always given the residents a raw deal.
“We will take Nyali back to Raila's hands,” Busaka said.
They spoke during a roadshow to drum up support for Raila Odinga’s presidential bid and urge people to register as ODM members.
The ODM registration is ongoing until February 21.
The roadshow started at Ratna Square through Mkomani, Ziwa la Ng’ombe, VoK, Bombolulu, Leisure, among other areas in Nyali.
The orange brigade, led by Dee, warned against hurling insults at Raila, saying he is a senior politician who deserves respect.
“Be warned, if you hurl insults at Raila, your payday will come,” Busaka said.
Political observers say the warning was directed at Mohammed Ali, who is in Deputy President William Ruto’s UDA camp.
Ali has been critical of the Azimio la Umoja camp and vocal against the leadership of ODM deputy party leader and Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho.
This has irked ODM members.
So far, ODM has two aspirants for the Nyali seat, businessman Said ‘Saido’ Abdalla and advocate Joshua Ndere.
The two are battling for the ticket to fly the party flag.
Saido is Joho’s cousin.
Awiti in 2013 and Ali in 2017 complained of bias towards Saido in the run-up to the party nominations pushing them out of the party.
However, they still supported Raila.
Political analysts say this, coupled with sympathy for the treatment they got, is what eventually propelled them to victory
The five wards in the constituency have attracted 37 aspirants.
All the wards have ODM MCAs, but the incumbent Frere Town MCA Charles Kitula drifted away from the party and had joined hands with MP Ali in UDA.
However, he has since gone quiet and is no longer seen in the company of Ali or UDA functions.
Dee, who is coincidentally related to Joho, has vowed to ensure free and fair party primaries notwithstanding race, religion, tribe or relations.
“My tenure will be transparent and honest,” Dee has always said.
On Saturday, he said those given opportunities by Nyali residents should deliver on the mandate.
“The number of people who turned up for the roadshow is a testament, they want the party to take over the Nyali seat,” Dee said.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris