ODM campaign meeting aborts

Changamwe MP Ramadhan Kajembe (centre, in orange cap), is shielded by his bodyguards as he arrived for a campaign rally at Tononoka Grounds, Mombasa on October 21, 2012. The rally was marred by chaos as youths chanted war slogans.

What you need to know:

  • Supporters of Environment assistant minister and Changamwe MP Ramadhan Kajembe and those of former Kenya National Commission on Human Rights commissioner Hassan Omar Hassan clashed in the open causing a stampede at one time.
  • Efforts by Mr Kajembe, the party’s national vice-chairman, to bring sanity failed as supporters of his rival started chanting “Kajembe must go! Kajembe must go!” drowning his words.
  • This forced the master of ceremony, Ms Millicent Odhiambo to give Mr Hassan the chance to address the rally but the heat was turned against him with chants of “Sarai must go! Sarai must go!”
  • Ms Margaret Olang, a former Ganjoni councillor now eyeing the women’s representative slot, accused some officials of holding “night meetings” to block those they did not favour for the county leadership.

A campaign meant to popularise “ODM Mashinani” (at the grassroots) in Mombasa County aborted after supporters of different aspirants turned the occasion into a popularity contest.

The campaign degenerated into shouting, booing and jeering at any aspirant given a chance to address the rowdy and poorly attended rally at the historic Tononoka Grounds on Sunday.

Supporters of Environment assistant minister and Changamwe MP Ramadhan Kajembe and those of former Kenya National Commission on Human Rights commissioner Hassan Omar Hassan clashed in the open causing a stampede at one time.

Most women in three constituency tents scampered for safety and left for home as unruly supporters invaded the dais praising their preferred candidates.

Efforts by Mr Kajembe, the party’s national vice-chairman, to bring sanity failed as supporters of his rival started chanting “Kajembe must go! Kajembe must go!” drowning his words.

This forced the master of ceremony, Ms Millicent Odhiambo to give Mr Hassan the chance to address the rally but the heat was turned against him with chants of “Sarai must go! Sarai must go!”

He had to shout above the din caused by Kajembe supporters for him to be heard.

The senate seat aspirant challenged the assistant minister to an open debate, saying time had come for leaders to display the policies and plans they had for the people and development of the county.

“Let’s play politics of development, politics of healthcare, politics of quality education and politics of job creation not name-calling,” he said and threw the gauntlet to his rivals for open debate.

Brace for battle

The former State human rights commissioner told the MP to brace himself for a battle in the party primaries stressing that it was time for the youth to take the reins of power from the old guard.

But Mr Kajembe led the crowd in declaring himself the bona fide ODM senate seat aspirant, saying the county needed age and experience to progress.

“For a leader to claim a senator’s role he or she must have been tested and I have been tested through civic leadership and parliamentary representation,” he said.

But when the heckling and booing persisted, the MP ended his speech and returned the microphone to the MC who prematurely ended the meeting at 5.27pm causing a mad rush of supporters towards their aspirants to form human shield.

Likoni MP Masoud Mwahima, styled himself as the voice of reason, pleaded: “Every one of you is important to ODM and the only way to campaign for our presidential aspirant is to remain united and speak with one voice.”

But this was not the antidote the crowd needed and he was shouted to silence.

Businessman Hezron Awiti, who is eyeing Nyali parliamentary seat, asked for fair play by county party officials, warning that any prejudice on their part might backfire on the party’s grassroots support.

Ms Margaret Olang, a former Ganjoni councillor now eyeing the women’s representative slot, accused some officials of holding “night meetings” to block those they did not favour for the county leadership.

“This commotion we are seeing here (Tononoka) is a well-planned scheme to depict some aspirants as unpopular,” she said.

She will face-off with nominated councillor Mishi Juma Mboko (Kwale) and King’orani councillor Asha Mohamed.