Hassan Joho and Omar Hassan won’t talk, even on prayer day

Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho (far left) and Senator Hassan Omar (far right) during prayers to mark the Idd at the Mombasa Stadium. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT |

What you need to know:

  • Politicians avoid each other on Idd-ul-Fitr as allies downplay situation.

That the relationship between Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho and Senator Omar Hassan is not at its best was evident during Idd-ul-Fitr prayers on Saturday morning.

Even though the leaders spoke a lot about unity, peace and co-existence among Muslims and all Kenyans, it was obvious that the relationship between the two leaders is becoming cooler.

Long-time Joho rival Suleiman Shahbaal had time to hug the governor as the faithful dispersed after the prayers but Mr Omar was nowhere to be seen.

The seating arrangement also told a lot. In the front row, Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir sat on Governor Joho’s immediate right.

The senator on the other hand, sat three positions away on Mr Joho’s left. Mr Shahbaal was five places from the governor.

The two leaders never came face-to-face during the entire ceremony and addressed the media seperately, Mr Omar after the governor had done his and left.

Sources indicate that the fallout was caused by a disagreement over the appointment of county officials. Even though senators have no role in the appointments, some governors choose to informally involve other leaders in their counties for political capital.

The intrigues and goings-on, many of them happening behind the public eye, could be a pointer that come 2017, the political landscape in the county could be completely different.

HAS BEEN FROSTY

The lambasting of the County Assembly at an Iftar dinner at Fort Jesus by Senator Omar is one of those indicators that the political die is cast depending on where the leaders have their political affiliation.

But Mr Omar’s attack on the County Assembly was not entirely surprising – their relationship has been frosty for the better part of the year – and it was only a matter of time before it came to the surface.

Despite spirited denials by close allies of both the senator and the governor of any fallout between the two former bosom friends, it is in public domain that things are “not normal”.

For nearly two years since they were elected, the two seemed to have buried their party affiliation differences and in fact announced in public that Wiper (to which the senator is secretary-general) and ODM (to which Mr Joho is deputy party leader) were, after all, Cord affiliate parties and should work together.

Soon after it became obvious that the two were no longer close, Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir became a constant companion of the governor.

But he sees no differences between the two top leaders.

“I am not aware of any fallout between the two,” said Mr Nassir on Friday. He said he sees the relationship between Mr Joho and Mr Omar as “normal”.

Mr Nassir and another Joho close ally, Kisauni MP Rashid Bedzimba, skipped the Iftar dinner sponsored by Mr Omar. Ironically, Nyali MP Hezron Awiti (Wiper national treasurer), attended the dinner graced by ODM leader Raila Odinga. The governor was said to be out of the country on official duties.

When asked why he did not attend the dinner, Mr Nassir said he could not attend because he was invited through a short message a day earlier when he had already lined up other programmes.

“As a Member of Parliament, I have my own programmes. On that day, I had organised Iftar dinner with university students from Mvita. I could not leave it because it would have had very negative political implications for me,” he said.