Joho, Kingi train guns on Mvurya in battle for Kwale top seat

Coast Orange Democratic Movement governors Hassan Joho (Mombasa) and Amason Kingi (Kilifi) are involved in efforts to dethrone their Kwale counterpart Salim Mvurya.

The two leaders who have emerged as the Orange party’s biggest pointmen in the region have held rallies in Kwale and campaigned for one of Mr Mvurya’s rivals in next year’s elections, County Assembly Speaker Sammy Ruwa.

Analysts believe that it is Mr Mvurya’s lukewarm support for the party that is attracting their ire.

At an iftar function in the county recently, Mr Joho accused Mr Mvurya of being close to Jubilee.

ODM has faced a rebellion in the Coast and some of its MPs, including Kilifi’s Gideon Mung’aro and Mustapha Idd are openly supporting Jubilee.

Mr Mung’rao has declared he will seek to take on Mr Kingi on a Jubilee ticket.

Mr Mvurya is unhappy with his colleagues’ visits to Kwale, saying courtesy demands anybody holding a meeting in another’s county should inform them.

“The other day, I was told that people were endorsing others at a rally. They used my name and told residents that I would be there but when I failed to show up, the people put them to task. I do not fight leaders but leave the people to fight for me because they know who I am,” he said.

The governor’s supporters have also expressed anger at the interference.

Gombato Bongwe MCA Omari Idd Boga said: “I am uncomfortable with this type of arrogance which should be checked by ODM if it intends to win the next General Election.”

Mr Boga is eyeing the Msambweni parliamentary seat and says if Mr Joho, the deputy party leader, is left to handle the nomination process many ‘popular’ candidates will be rigged out in the Coast region.

Mr Mvurya said his rivals should be ready for a battle since his development record had set “a very high bar”.

“Opposition will always be there; however, the era of empty talk has no space in this new era of devolution. Opponents have to prepare for a tough battle to convince electorate. Currently, the bar set is too high.”

Two leading communities are set to battle for the gubernatorial seat.

I HAVE A GOOD RECORD

Although the rivalry between the Digos and Durumas is threatening to scuttle Mvurya’s re-election, the incumbent exudes confidence that come 2017 he will trounce his opponents because he says he has an impeccable record.

Kenya’s High Commissioner to Tanzania Chirau Ali Mwakwere is said to be interested, although he has not publicly declared it.

Nevertheless, former Kinango MP Simeon Mkalla, who is being touted as his running mate, is busy campaigning for him.

While Mr Mvurya and Mr Mkalla hail from the Duruma community, Mr Mwakwere is a Digo.

Mr Mkalla, who emerged second with 22,262 against Mvurya’s 63,078 votes in the last elections, believes Mr Mwakwere was well-placed to wrestle the governorship from the incumbent.

Others in the race include Gereza Dena and ODM official Nicholas Zani, who contested in the 2013 elections.

If Mr Mwakwere enters the race, many believe, the contest will be between him and the incumbent.

Those believed to be supporting the Mwakwere bid are Matuga MP Hassan Mwanyoha (ODM) and Kwale County MP Zainab Chidzuga (ODM), after differing with the governor.

County Assembly Speaker Mr Ruwa says brilliance of vision, ideas and mission for the people should be the driving force and not ethnic mathematics to ascend to leadership positions.

To appeal to the Kwale people, the speaker says he has drawn an elaborate manifesto to use Kwale’s rich natural resources for the benefit of the people. But Mr Mvurya will not be a pushover.

“Look around the county and you will tell me. From education to agriculture and to health, my performance is there for all to see,” Mr Mvurya told Saturday Nation in an interview in his office on Thursday.

'SMART' VOTERS

The County chief said his decade-long experience in managing public development programmes as the acting Country Director for Plan Kenya, Aga Khan Foundation and Tegemeo Institute of Agricultural Policy and Development, among others, had given him the right experience to manage issues in the county.

“I have over 10 years’ experience in management, leadership, mobilisation and development. Since I took over leadership, there are visible achievements and transformation of Kwale County,” he said.

He is also banking on his deputy, Ms Fatuma Achani whom he describes as “able and committed”, among others.

Geoffreyson Khamala, a Political Science lecturer at the University of Nairobi, says, although the governor is likely to face stiff opposition his high profile will work in his favour.

“The governor has managed to balance between national and local politics, having been Council of Governors vice chairman for two terms,” he said.

But even as some contestants play the tribal card, Kwale Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya chairman Sheikh Amir Banda warned them that joy riders should not think their communities will provide the ‘magic wand’ to ascend to power for the top seat.

Mr Banda says voters will decide whom to vote for after listening to their manifestos, but not through ethnic support.

Reports by Gitonga Marete, Mwakera Mwajefa and Daniel Nyassy