- Some of the areas earmarked for the demonstrations include; Bangladesh slums, Majengo, Maweni, Tudor and Kisauni.
- Omar said they want to ensure Mombasa is not destroyed by leaders who have been in the county’s leadership for the last 15 years.
Image: JOHN CHESOLI
UDA leaders in Mombasa have said they will counter the planned three-day demonstrations called by Azimio leaders in the county.
Led by UDA national vice chair Hassan Omar, the leaders said they have learnt through intelligence where most of the action will be.
Some of the areas earmarked for the demonstrations include; Bangladesh slums, Majengo, Maweni, Tudor and Kisauni.
“You see these areas are densely populated with poor people. They are using poor people for their own selfish interests,” Omar said.
Speaking at YMCA Kizingo, where he held a UDA sensitization forum, Omar appealed to Mombasa youth to focus on the opportunities that the Kenya Kwanza government is creating for them to empower themselves.
Omar said they want to ensure Mombasa is not destroyed by leaders who have been in the county’s leadership for the last 15 years.
He called on elected leaders in Mombasa to focus on building the county and not destroying it.
The port services, he noted, were brought back to Mombasa by President William Ruto to benefit the people of the Coast region, who had been denied an economic future when the services were transferred to Naivasha and Nairobi under the Uhuru Kenyatta-led regime.
He accused ODM leaders in Mombasa and the previous county administration of bending over backwards to destroy the economy of the port county.
“Instead of planning good things for Mombasa, they are organising demonstrations…You who destroyed Mombasa for the last 15 years as ODM, if you try again to do that, we will face you. We are not cowards,” Omar said.
Earlier, ODM leaders led by Mombasa Senator Mohammed Faki and County Assembly Speaker Aharub Khatri said they will not be cowered into withdrawing from the demonstrations.
Speaking at Mama Ngina Waterfront Park, Faki said call by the Kenya Kwanza leadership for the party MPs to counter the planned demonstrations in their constituencies is a recipe for chaos.
“It is very unfortunate for the head of state, who is supposed to be a unifying factor, to go out and try to balkanize the country on those who are supporting the demonstration and those who are not,” he said.
Kenyans, he said, have a right to demonstrate peacefully, picket and petition any institution.
He said such calls will not scare them into withdrawing for exercising their constitutional rights.
But Omar, said they are the “holders of the egg” and they will protect that egg.
He said as the KK government, they delivered on the return of port services to Mombasa, and are now working on wooing investors back to Mombasa.
“Because many had relocated. But how can they return their services when they see that the ODM leaders are trying to disrupt the peace in Mombasa?” posed Omar.
The EALA MP said he will be on the fore front patrolling Mombasa streets on Wednesday saying they have the support of the security apparatus in the region.
Former Starehe MP Charles Njagua alias Jaguar said the Azimio leaders agitating for demonstrations are using poor Kenyans to try and get into government.
“Will you allow them to use violence to get into government?” Jaguar posed.
Jaguar said Azimio leader Raila Odinga should not destroy the legacy he has built over the years.
“He (Raila) is not taking our country to a good place,” Jaguar said, adding that the youth should choose peace over violence.
Omar said time has come for the youth to make a choice. Do they want political and economic development or political and economic destruction.
“I lost 10 years supporting Raila Odinga. I know what goes on in there with all the sharks surrounding him,” said Omar.
“If you want political and economic development, support President William Ruto. But if you want political and economic destruction, support Raila Odinga.”