- According to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission’s 2017 voter register, Mombasa has a total of 580,223 voters.
- Nassir says he will roll out the ‘Skills Mitaani’ programme that will equip the youth with hands-on skills for them to gain meaningful employment.
Image: EZEKIEL AMING'A
The two top contenders in the Mombasa governor race Abdulswamad Nassir (ODM) and Hassan Omar (UDA) have intensified their campaigns as the August 9 polls draws closer.
The two are eyeing to succeed Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho.
For the past week, both Nassir and Omar have pitched tents in Kisauni, Nyali, Changamwe and Jomvu constituency.
On Thursday, Omar was in Kisauni for a door-to-door campaign.
And on Saturday, Nassir conducted a series of rallies in Kisauni to undo Omar’s influence.
Nassir also visited Jomvu constituency as his arch-rival made stopovers in Nyali and Changamwe constituencies.
According to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission’s 2017 voter register, Mombasa has a total of 580,223 voters.
Kisauni is leading with a total of 126,151 voters while Mvita comes in second with 107,091 registered voters, followed by Nyali (104,017), Likoni (87,326), Changamwe (86,331) and Jomvu (69,307).
While addressing Kisauni residents, Nassir said that the push to return port operations back to Mombasa is still on. “This time it’s not just about returning port services, we want a stake in the affairs of the port.”
He said that just like Narok residents are benefiting from the Masaai Mara, Mombasa residents also have the right to benefit from the national resources (the port) located in their county.
“For every cargo coming in and going out through the Mombasa port, Mombasa people must gain something from it,” Nassir said.
He said that if he is elected governor and his party leader Raila Odinga ascends to the presidency, he is going to ensure Mombasa county and the national government work closely over the port issue.
Nassir said his administration will ensure that no child misses school due to lack of fees, as he also outlined an elaborate plan to roll out a school feeding programme targeting ECDE learners.
“No child under my administration will miss school due to hunger and lack of fees,” Nassir said.
He promised to roll out the ‘Skills Mitaani’ programme that will equip the youth with hands-on skills for them to gain meaningful employment.
The governor candidate further promised to bring devolution closer to the people through the ‘Serikali Mitaani’ programme which seeks to ensure that citizens access county services from their ward and subcounty levels.
On the other hand, Omar promised that the Deputy President William Ruto-led administration will immediately return port operations to Mombasa in August if they win the election.
He was speaking in Kongowea and Changamwe when he accompanied National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi and Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua on a Kenya Kwanza campaign trail in Mombasa.
“We have agreed that port operations will immediately come back to Mombasa so that our economy can come back to life for our youth to get jobs,” Omar said.
“We want to kick out the few individuals who have taken the Mombasa port hostage and turned it into their personal family business.”
Omar said he will protect Mombasa people and their resources if elected governor, adding that he will revive the economy and create a conducive business environment to attract more investors.
In a bid to woo traders and Medium and Small Micro-enterprises , Omar said his administration would set up an annual Sh2 billion ‘Biashara Fund’.
The fund will supplement the ‘Hustlers Fund’ by Ruto that seeks to set aside Sh150 billion targeting traders and MSMEs in the country.
“Mombasa is going to be the perfect example of a hustler city, where everyone doing business no matter how big or small is treated with dignity and respect,” the governor candidate said.
(edited by Amol Awuor)