- Nassir hailed the church for the effort to commit politicians to peaceful elections.
- Sonko urged politicians in Mombasa and the country to preach peace, saying there were no permanent enemies in politics.
Image: COURTESY/ MKE SONKO FACEBOOK
Mombasa politicians led by gubernatorial aspirants have committed to preaching peace ahead of the forthcoming August general election.
The leaders made the commitment during a prayer breakfast meeting hosted by Christ Is the Answer Ministries Church Nyali, presided over by Bishop Dr David Oginde at a Mombasa hotel on Saturday.
Leaders present during the meeting included ODM gubernatorial candidate Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir and former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko (Wiper).
Others were former Mombasa senator Hassan Omar (UDA) and deputy governor William Kingi (PAA).
The meeting also brought together other aspirants for different positions in the county.
Nassir hailed the church for the effort to commit politicians to peaceful elections.
“My personal commitment is to accept the will of the people on August 9, and I urge my worthy competitors to make a similar promise to the people of Mombasa,” Nassir said.
“We have worked too hard, and too long to lose this peaceful coexistence we enjoy.”
He urged the media to focus on such moments where leaders can seat and agree to disagree, but eventually have one common denominator, which is the love and interest of Mombasa.
“The winner in this whole thing should be the people of Mombasa, and by the winner, I mean even the one who will vote against me and even the one I won’t vote for because I was forced to vote for myself,” he said.
Sonko urged politicians in Mombasa and the country to preach peace, saying there were no permanent enemies in politics.
He urged their supporters to emulate them saying if leaders could sit down together peacefully despite their political differences and affiliations, why not them.
The politician whose fate in contesting the Mombasa gubernatorial seat hangs in the balance further urged his opponents to desists from name-calling each on political podiums.
“Let us preach peace, love, and unity just as former President Moi advocated for. We cannot afford to have a repeat of the 2007 post-elections violence whose memories are still fresh with us.”
“Life must continue after the August 9 elections,” Sonko said.
Kingi echoed Sonko’s remarks insisting on having peaceful campaigns and elections in the county as he asked his colleagues to desist from using derogative language in their campaign trails.
He said Mombasa needs organic leadership that comes from the people, which he said would ensure a progressive society.
“We don’t have to fight with sticks and stones, let us fight with giving policies that will build the people of Mombasa,” Kingi said.
Addressing the leaders, Bishop Oginde emphasised that leadership was about service to the people.
He said the making of a good leader begins with the craving of the soul and a desire from deep within ones’ heart.
“The making of a good leader begins with the crucible of suffering. It starts in the corridors of service,” Oginde said.
However, some gubernatorial aspirants led by Vibrant Democratic Party leader Hezron Awiti Bollo complained about being left out of the meeting.
Awiti accused the conveners of being selective in their invite saying he and others did not receive one.
The Mombasa gubernatorial seat has attracted nine candidates.