- The event at Tononoka grounds was marred by violence as rival groups of Shahbal and Nassir attacked each other.
- Nassir, Shahbal and Kingi are all eyeing the ODM ticket for the governor seat.
Image: LABAN WALLOHGA
Mombasa Deputy Governor William Kingi wants ODM to censure Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir and businessman Suleiman Shahbal over the campaign chaos witnessed in the county.
On International Women’s Day celebrations, Kingi was roughed up after he tried to deny Nassir an opportunity to speak. The microphone was snatched from his hand.
At the tail end of the event, he was pushed off the podium by the youth and it took the intervention of the police who whisked him to safety, away from the rowdy youth.
“The party hierarchy has been quiet on the matter as political violence and intolerance continue to rise in Mombasa. These two leaders should be censured by the party,” Kingi told the Star on the phone on Monday.
The event at Tononoka grounds was marred by violence as rival groups of Shahbal and Nassir attacked each other, disrupting the event for nearly two hours.
Kingi said he decided to deny Nassir the microphone to stop the chaos from escalating over fears that Shahbal’s supporters might become more violent.
He denied the allegation he was trying to play politics by locking out Nassir.
Nassir, Shahbal and Kingi are all eyeing the ODM ticket for the governor seat.
“I was trying to manage the situation because the supporters of the two leaders were causing mayhem at a government function. This was not a political platform,” Kingi said.
He said he was representing Governor Hassan Joho and the county in the function.
“If no interventions are made soon, the violence might spread to the grassroots and Mombasa will no longer be peaceful,” he said.
On February 20, during the Azimio la Umoja rally at Tononoka grounds, supporters of Shahbal and Nassir also attacked each other.
Nassir and Shahbal have, however, distanced themselves from any wrong-doing.
Early this month, Coast-based civil society groups announced they were going to deploy undercover officers to monitor political activities.
The Pwani Social Justice Working Group, a conglomerate of 17 civil society groups, will deploy 50 election monitors with audiovisual gadgets to monitor campaigns.
They are tasked to report hate speech and political violence ahead of the August 9, polls.
A report released by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission in February listed Mombasa among 23 counties that are likely to witness election-related violence during this year’s polls.
Kisumu, Uasin Gishu, Nakuru, Nairobi, Migori and Kericho were also listed as conflict hotspots.
Others included Isiolo, Lamu, Bungoma, Kakamega, Vihiga, Trans Nzoia, Marsabit, Kiambu, Nyamira, Hom Bay, Nandi, Bomet, Murang’a, Kirinyaga, Garissa and Siaya.
(Edited by Tabnacha O)