Awiti, Joho in rare show of unity as Mombasa replaces Mamba Statue

Hassan Joho and Hezron Awiti shared a podium in a rare show of unity on Saturday and preached peace and unity ahead of the election.

Awiti, who is Nyali MP, wants to succeed ODM's Joho as Mombasa Governor. He is contesting the seat through his newly formed Vibrant Democratic Party.

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"Politics is not enmity. If you want to vote for Joho, you will vote for him. If you want to vote for Awiti you will vote for him," Awiti said.

He spoke during the county chief's official unveiling of the replica of Mamba Statue outside Mamba Village Centre. The 41-year-old statue

was destroyed during the expansion of Links Road in April last year.

Awiti accused the county government of deliberately destroying it knowing it was his property.

But county transport executive Tawfiq Balala said the Mombasa government was equally surprised by the destruction.

At the unveiling, the MP said all that was in the past and that there was no longer any bad blood between him and Joho.

“Let the past remain in the past. I thank my brother Joho for his gesture,” Awiti said, adding politics should not interfere with business.

He and Joho said politics should unite, not divide, the people.

Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho and Nyali MP Hezron Awiti after the unveiling of Mamba Statue at Mamba Village Centre, April 15, 2017. /BRIAN OTIENO

The Governor

said the replacement of the statue cost the county about Sh1.5 million.

“When it was destroyed last year, we had a debate. But the main point is the goodwill and being humane,” he said.

Noting the status serves as an identity for the people of Mombasa, he said the

county will support the centre.

On politics, he said: “You are all brothers and sisters. Politics comes and goes but you will remain."

There was public outcry especially from players in the tourism industry when the statue was demolished as it is one of the county's tourist attractions.

Mamba Village Centre has the oldest and biggest crocodile in Africa. Officials there said the crocodile named 'Big Daddy' is more than 100 years old.

The iconic Mamba Statue outside Mamba Village Centre in Mombasa, April 15, 2017. /BRIAN OTIENO

In January, Awiti and Suleiman Shahbal, Jubilee's Mombasa governor aspirant, told troubled Joho to stop the 'theatrics and playing victim".

They claimed the county chief faked his arrest and was playing “drama king” to deflect attention from his four years of poor governance.

The MP said the theatrics were the last kicks of a dying horse and that his brand of politics is harmful.

But a survey found in March found that Joho

is the most popular politician at the Coast and the most preferred candidate for Mombasa county chief.

On popularity, the study by Trends and Insights for Africa (TIFA) found that the Governor commands a 68 per cent following and that Tourism CS Najib Balala and Shahbal follow at nine per cent each.

Then came Senator Hassan Omar (six per cent) and Awiti(two per cent).

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