Omar, Mung’aro in new attacks on Joho leadership

Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar and his aide Mohamed Noor address reporters on March 22, 2016. On Tuesday, two local dailies reported Senator Omar as saying on Sunday that Governor Hassan Joho has no presidential credentials. PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • On Tuesday, two local dailies reported Senator Hassan Omar as saying on Sunday that the governor has no presidential credentials.
  • Mr Joho has declared his interest in the presidency in 2022.
  • MP Gideon Mung’aro, who announced he had quit ODM on Sunday, accused Mr Joho of “imposing himself as the king of the Coast”.
  • Mr Mung’aro joins Nyali MP Hezron Awiti and Senator Omar, who claim the governor has failed to manage the county.

A new onslaught on Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho’s leadership emerged last weekend, with Senator Hassan Omar taking him on.

On Tuesday, two local dailies reported the senator as saying on Sunday that the governor has no presidential credentials.

One of them quoted Mr Omar as having said unsavoury things about the governor. But speaking to the Nation on Tuesday, Mr Omar said the media reports had been taken out of context.

Mr Joho has declared his interest in the presidency in 2022.

Two days after Mr Omar’s Sunday broadside against the governor, ODM rebel MP Gideon Mung’aro jumped into the fray Tuesday.

The MP, who announced he had quit ODM on Sunday, accused Mr Joho of “imposing himself as the king of the Coast”. Mr Joho is an ODM deputy party leader.

The Kilifi North MP told the Nation that there was no way Mr Joho could be the coastal king as he comes from a minority ethnic group.

Mr Mung’aro joins Nyali MP Hezron Awiti and Senator Omar, who claim the governor has failed to manage the county.

While Mr Omar and Mr Awiti will challenge Mr Joho in next year’s General Election, Mr Mung’aro is seeking to unseat Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi.

PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA

Mr Joho is on a pilgrimage to Mecca. County Director of Communication Richard Chacha said they had nothing to say about the accusations.

The onslaught on Mr Joho started in March during the Malindi by-election. In the campaigns, Mr Joho was instrumental in securing the seat for ODM’s William Mtengo, who floored Jubilee’s Philip Charo.

Mr Joho has since made it clear he will vie for the presidency in 2022 and gone ahead to sell his vision to residents of other coastal counties, including Kilifi and Kwale.

This has not gone well with some leaders, especially those allied to Mr Mung’aro, who was kicked out as ODM’s chief whip early in the year.

For about a month now, Mr Mung’aro has been a thorn in the opposition’s flesh, saying that come next year, “it will not be business as usual in the coast”, which overwhelmingly voted for ODM in 2013.

Said Mr Mung’aro on Tuesday: “By ODM simply winning the Malindi by-election in March, Mr Joho should not think that he is very popular in coast. He should not impose himself on the people. He will face a baptism of fire from us come next year.”

BROKE RANKS

Mr Mung’aro broke ranks with the Opposition early in the year when he was thrown out as its parliamentary chief whip and subsequently lost the Coast Parliamentary Group (CPG) chairmanship to Kaloleni MP Gunga Mwinga.

Mr Awiti has persistently accused Mr Joho of being “weak”.

Asked about Mr Joho’s quest to vie for the presidency in 2022 on Tuesday, Mr Awiti said: “If he cannot manage a kiosk how does he expect to manage a firm?”

"Joho has failed to make an impact in the county and he should wait for his turn to leave office next year.”

Kongowea MCA Jabes Oduor said the chronic wrangles at the county assembly proved that the governor was not in control of the county.

“If he were an effective leader there is no way these wrangles could have escalated into the current situation where people are fighting every day. Also, construction of the county offices has not been completed yet four years into devolution,” he said.