Ababu Coast visit futile, says Omar
What you need to know:
- Mr Namwamba was at the Coast over the weekend to lay the ground for his Third Force initiative.
- Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar dismissed Mr Namwamba’s forays, saying his campaign in Coast region was “inconsequential” and evidence that the former ODM Secretary-General did not have a strategy.
- Mr Omar said that Jubilee marshalled its troops during the Malindi by-election in March but failed to wrest the seat from ODM.
- In his rejoinder on Monday, Mr Namwamba said he had laid the grounds to reduce ODM’s influence in the Coast region and western Kenya.
Mombasa Senator Omar Hassan has criticised Budalang’i MP Ababa Namwamba’s political forays in the Coast.
Mr Namwamba, who resigned as the ODM Secretary General a month ago, was at the Coast over the weekend to lay the ground for his Third Force initiative in the region that voted overwhelmingly for ODM in 2013.
Reacting to his forays on Monday, Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar dismissed Mr Namwamba’s forays, saying his campaign in the region was “inconsequential” and evidence that the former ODM Secretary-General did not have a strategy.
Mr Omar is a Wiper legislator. His party is in the Opposition coalition — Cord — together with ODM and Ford-Kenya.
“For the purposes of the 2017 General Election you are either with Cord or Jubilee and whoever is trying to front some alliances they are fooling themselves,” said the Senator.
Mr Omar said that Jubilee marshalled its troops during the Malindi by-election in March but failed to wrest the seat from ODM. This, he said, was an indication that Cord was the most popular coalition at the coast.
LAID THE GROUNDS
In his rejoinder on Monday, Mr Namwamba said he had laid the grounds to reduce ODM’s influence in the Coast region and western Kenya.
He expressed confidence that his Third Force would make a massive impact in the two regions previously associated with ODM.
“After traversing the region at the weekend, we are happy with the way we were received by leaders and supporters of ODM who are disgruntled by the way the party is being run by its current leadership,” he said in a telephone interview.
Accompanied by his Sirisia counterpart, Mr John Waluke, Mr Namwamba on Sunday was hosted by the Changamwe MP, Mr Omar Mwinyi at a fundsdrive for Bokole Youth Pentagon Self-Help Group.
From Ganze on Saturday where he was hosted by MP Peter Shehe to Kilifi and Mombasa counties where he met local leaders, Mr Namwamba described his tour as a success.
On Monday, Amani National Congress party Chairman Kevin Lunani criticised Mr Namwamba’s forays at the Coast.
“There is only one third party force in the country and that is ANC against the two coalitions of Jubilee and Cord,” Mr Lunani said.
He told the legislator that selling the yet to be launched Jubilee Party in Western Kenya was like selling ice in Russia.
“My brother Namwamba should swallow his pride and join us in ensuring that the next government is formed by ANC,” he said.
Thrilling performances lift mood at fete
