Kwale ODM officials declare war on Governor Mvurya for ditching party for Jubilee
Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya (right) with Deputy President William Ruto (in red helmet) during the commissioning of a two-kilometre road on Munje-Funzi Island on August 20, 2016. ODM officials in the county have disowned Mr Mvurya for warming up to Jubilee. FILE PHOTO | WACHIRA MWANGI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Mvurya said he and his deputy Fatuma Achani would ask Kwale people to vote for President Uhuru Kenyatta and Jubilee in 2017.
- Governor Mvurya also spoke of calls and attempts to have him denied his party’s nomination for a second term.
- Mr Zani dismissed Mr Mvurya’s intention to ditch the party, saying it would be of “no consequences to ODM”.
- Mr Chitembe said Governor Mvurya should now prepare himself for “an early defeat in the 2017 general elections".
Two Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) officials in Kwale County have said they will lead a campaign against Governor Salim Mvurya, who at the weekend indicated he would ditch the Opposition party for Jubilee.
County vice-chairman Nicholas Zani and the Matuga chairman Hassan Chitembe said the ODM team in Kwale would mount a campaign to ensure Mr Mvurya is not re-elected.
On Saturday, while addressing a presidential rally in Msambweni that was also attended by Deputy President William Ruto, Governor Mvurya said he and his deputy Fatuma Achani would ask Kwale people to vote for President Uhuru Kenyatta and Jubilee in 2017, citing development projects the national government had initiated in the area.
He said the Jubilee administration had supported his development agenda to transform the county, and because of that, he would in turn ask his people to vote for President Kenyatta.
Governor Mvurya also spoke of calls and attempts to deny him his party’s nomination for a second term.
Some of his ODM critics in Kwale, who are demanding that the governor be denied a party ticket, accused Mr Mvurya of giving lukewarm support to the Opposition.
DISMISSED MVURYA
On Monday, Mr Zani dismissed Mr Mvurya’s intention to ditch ODM, saying it would be of “no consequences" to the party in the area, claiming the governor was not active in party matters.
He challenged the governor to “convince’’ the Jubilee administration to initiate development projects that would have "more impact’’ in the county and whose dockets are under the national government.
“It is sad that national government projects like the Shimoni port and Kwale, Kinango and Samburu roads have not yet been initiated four years down the line,” he said.
According to Mr Chitembe, Governor Mvurya should now prepare himself for “an early defeat in the 2017 general elections".
Mr Chitembe said they were consulting with other party officials to have former Cabinet minister and Kenya’s ambassador to Tanzania Chirau Mwakwere seek the governorship on an ODM ticket.
“We know the person who will defeat Mr Mvurya, and that is Chirau Ali Mwakwere, whom we have already started to engage,” he said.
“I would like to tell Mr Mvurya and all other ODM rebels that Kwale County and the entire Coast region is an ODM zone and we will be quick to send them home,” he said.
