Mombasa Governor Joho expresses confidence of a Cord win in 2017 elections

Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho addresses Changamwe residents during a clean-up exercise. Mr Joho expressed confidence that the Opposition Cord win take over government after the 2017 general elections. PHOTO | WACHIRA MWANGI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • He expressed confidence that the Coast region, which voted for his party almost to a man, would remain an Opposition zone and would send Jubilee home in 2017.
  • According to Mr Joho, with Cord in power, Kenyans will forget issues of Eurobond, among other scams in government.
  • The governor also warned politicians from outside the region to show respect and not incite the youth against local leaders.
  • But in response to Mr Joho’s claims, State House, through a senior director of communications, Mr Munyori Buku said Kenyans had no time for theatrics.

Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho has expressed confidence that the Opposition Cord win take over government after the 2017 general elections.

The governor has called on Coast residents to vote out President Uhuru Kenyatta even as he expressed disappointment over what he termed as failure by the President to recognise him in his ongoing tour of the region.

Speaking Saturday at Chaani Primary School in Changamwe over the weekend during a clean-up exercise, Mr Joho said the President should have reached out to him as the Mombasa governor and host.

“Let me assure you that this time round it is no joke. We will make way into State House; Raila Odinga will be the president and Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta will be the official opposition leader come 2017,” Mr Joho, who is ODM's deputy leader, said.

He expressed confidence that the Coast region, which voted for his party almost to a man, would remain an Opposition zone and would send Jubilee home in 2017.

President Kenyatta has been at the Coast since December 24, 2015 and has been working from State House Mombasa and has been visiting counties in the region.

According to Mr Joho, with Cord in power, Kenyans will forget issues of Eurobond, among other scams in government.

The governor also warned politicians from outside the region to show respect and not incite the youth against local leaders.

This was in apparent reference to Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko who, during the ceremony to issue title deeds to occupiers of Waitiki land, attacked Mr Joho verbally for allegedly disrespecting the President.

President Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto watched in dismay as the two exchanged words before them at Shika Adabu grounds two weeks ago.

At the weekend, Mr Joho said: "These politicians think they can come here to campaign against us. If you think you can come and campaign against us, we can equally come and do the same in your constituency," he said.

"Let them not push us so hard. If you cross the line you’ll know we also have limits. We are only trying to keep calm, be warned we are not cowards,” he added.

I'LL NOT JOIN JUBILEE

Mr Joho also told Jubilee that he could not be easily bought into joining the Jubilee Party "like they have done with others."

“The other day while in Likoni, they (Jubilee) asked me to jump ship and join them. I will not be cowed or intimidated by cheap politics. As the ODM captain, I cannot abandon my ship. I have my own ship and it is ODM,” Mr Joho said.

And on Friday night, during the presidential function to launch the Sh7.6 billion national street lighting programme, Mr Joho snubbed Senator Sonko when he stretched out his hand for greetings.

A group of rowdy youths kept disrupting the function as they sang Sonko’s praises and booed the governor.

After the meeting, two groups of rival youths started throwing chairs at each other.

Governor Joho maintained that President Kenyatta has snubbed him since arriving at the Coast on December 23.

The two leaders have been meeting in public functions but they have not sat together officially.

But in response to Mr Joho’s claims, State House, through a senior director of communications, Mr Munyori Buku said Kenyans had no time for theatrics.

“If the governor is idle as his actions and expletives perfectly show, that is his business.

“President Kenyatta has work to do for the people of the Coast and the entire country,” said the statement.