Nasa leader Raila to address rally after retreat

National Super Alliance (Nasa) leader Raila Odinga is expected to address his first major rally in Mombasa on Sunday after he withdrew from the presidential race.

Mr Odinga, who was on a tour in the United Kingdom, is expected to address the highly publicised rally at Mama Ngina Drive grounds.

Speaking after inspecting the venue on Saturday, Mombasa deputy governor William Kingi said all the four Nasa principals will attend the rally.

“Our preparations are going on well and tomorrow we will be given directions on the way forward by our four principals together with their host the governor.

"We have been asking for reforms, which have not been addressed and tomorrow we will get to know what stand we are taking,” Dr Kingi said.

POLICE BRUTALITY
The other co-principals are Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang'ula and Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi.

Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir said the leaders will also address police brutality during Nasa demonstrations pushing for electoral reforms.

The rally comes hot on heels of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto's last weekend visit to the county where Jubilee harvested big, following defection of opposition leaders.

Among the defectors, who also lost in the August 8 elections, are former senator Hassan Omar, former Taita Taveta Governor John Mruttu and former Likoni MP Suleiman Shakombo.

DEFECTORS
The ruling party also received a boost after Taita Taveta governor Granton Samboja and Nyali MP Mohammed Ali indicated that they will work with Jubilee administration to enhance growth in their areas.

Mr Ali, a former journalist, said he will work with the Jubilee “to serve his constituents”.

This has left Nasa fighting to consolidate it's backing at the Coast following the defections.

The Nasa rally, which is organised by Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, comes at a time when calls for Mr Joho and his Kilifi counterpart Amason Kingi to be made Nasa principals owing to their huge popularity in the region, pile up.

VOTES
Mr Kingi and Mr Joho have also announced that either of them will run for the presidency in 2022.

Complaints have also been rife following failure by Nasa to name Coast lawmakers to top parliamentary committees.

During his defection last week, Mr Omar mocked the opposition leaders, saying they could not be given top positions due to their academic backgrounds.

Jubilee has been campaigning in the region hoping to take away a huge slice of the opposition's support.

STRONGHOLD
The opposition received more votes than the ruling administration both in the 2013 and August elections.

The Coast is regarded as a Nasa fandom.

However, President Uhuru Kenyatta's Jubilee Party won the Kwale and Lamu gubernatorial seats.

Governor Salim Mvurya (Kwale), who defected from ODM, beat Wiper candidate Chirau Mwakwere and ODM’s Issa Chipera.

Mr Fahim Twaha won the Lamu top seat that was previously held by Issa Timamy, who was a member of Amani National Congress.

Just like in 2013, Jubilee lost all the top seats in Mombasa with a majority of the MPs, ward representatives and the senatorial seats going to ODM.