- His main challenger, former Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar of UDA, came in second with 98,105 votes.
- The other remaining five candidates in the race did not manage to get at least 1,000 votes each.
Image: JOHN CHESOLI
Mombasa Governor-elect Abdulswamad Nassir has extended an olive branch to all his competitors, saying he is ready to work with all of them.
Nassir, who vied for the Mombasa governor seat on the ODM party ticket, was declared the winner of the hotly contested election with 119,083 votes.
His main challenger, former Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar of the United Democratic Alliance, came in second with 98,105 votes — a difference of 20,978 votes.
The other remaining five candidates in the race did not manage to get at least 1,000 votes each.
Former Nyali MP Hezron Awiti, who vied on the Vibrant Democratic Party, managed 875 votes in the third position, and outgoing Mombasa Deputy Governor William Kingi of Pamoja Africa Alliance had 712 votes. Kingi served as Joho’s deputy for five years.
Upia party candidate Shafii Makazi managed 633, Daniel Kitsao (independent) had 402 and Said Abdhalla of Usawa party had only 338 votes.
Speaking to the thousands of supporters outside Kenya School of Government Mombasa shortly after being declared the winner, Nassir said he is ready to work with all his competitors.
“From today, politics has officially come to an end. I, Nassir, I want to be the first one to extend a hand to all my competitors. Welcome all on board so that we can develop Mombasa together,” he said.
Nassir, who has served as Mvita MP for 10 years, said he endured all kinds of political abuses since he declared his interest to run for the Mombasa seat.
“I was fought from all angles, I was abused and called all kinds of names. I was called Joho’s project, but I want to tell everyone and those who aspire to join politics, you can win an election without necessarily abusing your opponents,” he said.
Nassir, who has been fighting off the tag ‘Joho’s project’, said he has already agreed with the outgoing governor that his administration will be governed differently.
“We have already agreed with Joho, the next administration of Mombasa will not be the government of Hassan Joho, it will be led by Abdulswamad Nassir after I am sworn in,” he said.
He pledged to compete all the projects that were started by his predecessor.
Nassir, a son of former Mombasa veteran Kanu politician Shariff Nassir, pledged to walk in his father’s footsteps of development.
“Humility is key in politics and I am sure, my late father Mzee Sharriff wherever he is today, he is happy he raised a good son. I also want to ask my mother to also forgive all those who who attacked and abused her because of politics,” he said.
Francis Thoya, Nassir’s running mate, said they will work together to ensure Mombasa develops.
“We pledge to work together, we will uphold the integrity and work for you all,” he said.
Joho, who is also the ODM deputy party leader, said the naysayers should now accept that Nassir is the next Mombasa governor.
“They had made my name their agenda in politics, they used to despise us, but today the Mombasa residents have wholeheartedly voted for Nassir,” the outgoing governor said.
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino said Nassir’s victory shows that ODM leader Raila Odinga also won in the August 9 presidential election, which is now being contested at the Supreme Court.
“William Ruto was elected by the IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati, Raila was elected by the people. We are optimistic that the Supreme Court will rule in favour of Azimio,” the MP said.
Former Suba South MP John Mbadi, who is also the ODM party chairman, said they have now stamped their authority in the Mombasa and Kakamega counties.
“We have won Mombasa, Kakamega, Kacheliba and Kitui rural. Out of six seats, which were contested yesterday (Monday), Azimio has won five and Kenya Kwanza won only one. This clearly shows that Raila Odinga won on August 9,” he said.
Mombasa businessman Suleiman Shahbal, who stepped down in favour of Nassir, said the Mombasa victory clearly shows that Raila is the favourite of Kenyans.
“We, the people of Mombasa, have shown love to Nassir and Raila. Just the same way the Mombasa election was postponed, the presidential victory for Raila has just been deferred. Soon we will be celebrating,” he said.
Immediately after the speeches, the ODM supporters broke into dance and songs at the KSG and walked all through the Mombasa Central Business District.
Business and traffic came to a standstill as Nassir’s supporters jammed the streets of Mombasa in jubilation to celebrate their victory.
Other leaders who accompanied and congratulated Nassir are outgoing Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu, Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, women representatives Fatuma Gedi (Wajir), Esther Passaris (Nairobi) and Zamzam Mohammed (Mombasa).
Others included MPs Memusi Kanchori (Kajiado Central), Naisuda Lesuuda (Samburu), Omar Mwinyi (Changamwe), Badi Twalib (Jomvu), Mishi Mboko (Likoni), Mvita MP-elect Mohammed Soud Machele.
Omar, who was Nassir’s main challenger, is yet to concede defeat.
However, former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko and former Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria, who were supporting Omar, have already congratulated Nassir for his victory.
Sonko and Kuria were part of the Kenya Kwanza brigade that had been sent to Mombasa to campaign for Omar.
“When you are in any competition, your competitor is not your enemy, but your opponent, I wish I was in the ballot, but no matter how long it takes inshallah God's time is the best…”
“Congratulations Abdulswamad Sharrif Nassir for your win as the second Governor of Mombasa we live to fight another day,” Sonko wrote on Facebook.
Kuria also took to Facebook to congratulate Nassir.
He said that, though Nassir won, the race was tight, adding that it can never be the same again.
“Congratulations ODM and Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir. But you will admit that it can never be the same again. Hassan Omar Hassan and UDA got an amazing 44 per cent of the vote. Mombasa will be fully liberated in the fullness of time. Now go and tell Baba to learn to accept results like we have done,” Kuria said.
(edited by Amol Awuor)