Nyali MP Hezron Awiti has accused Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho of interfering with his campaigns in the region.
The MP says he is unable to put up billboards in Mombasa because Joho has instructed agents not to erect campaign materials by challengers.
Awiti is gunning for Joho's seat in the August 8 polls on a Vibrant Democratic Party ticket.
"Joho is displaying dictatorial tendencies, which have been the hallmark of his leadership during the past four and a half years. Mombasa is not a Sultanate and we shall therefore not allow old school tactics, which marked [former] President Daniel Moi's era," Awiti said on Sunday.
He said despite paying Sh300,920 as down payment for a total sum of Sh1.8 million, he was blocked from the sites.
Awiti said his cheque, issued to Magnate Ventures Ltd and Adsites Ltd, was returned to him by county authorities.
He said he has been unable to solve the issue amicably because Joho is not picking his calls, and was only given audience by county secretary Francis Thoya gave him audience.
He said he has served the county government with a notice that he intends to erect the billboards.
"We dare them to pull them down and face the wrath of voters," Awiti said.
The VDP boss asked the anti-corruption agency to investigate how much has been paid by the billboard advertising companies to the county in the last four years.
"We are raising this matter because we have information that the advertising companies have been paying money to individuals in the county government so as to seek favours in return," he said.
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Efforts to reach the advertising agencies to confirm the matter failed as they did not pick our calls.
But Joho's aide Richard Chacha said the Governor booked for the space through the same companies.
"He made the bookings a long time ago because we knew there will be competition for space. In fact, we were not able to get the space we wanted," he said.
Jubilee's Suleiman Shahbal has also accused the Governor of employing underhand tactics to edge him out by blocking him from erecting billboards.
In once instance, the court has to intervene for the county to erect Senator candidate Jabez Oduor's campaign billboard after it was pulled down.
Infrastructure executive Twafiq Balala said on phone the county does not interfere with agents and their clients or management.
"Our interest is if the billboard has been paid annually. The agents are the one to respond. I'm not a politician and I will not respond to a political statement because there are so many lies in it," he said.
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