Ward seat mini-poll heightens rivalry in Cord

The differences within parties in the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord) might affect the alliance’s performance during the April 29 Shella ward by-election.

The parties that include ODM, Wiper and Ford Kenya have fielded different candidates for the county ward representative seat. The seat fell vacant after the election of Adamson Kadenga Mwathethe was recently nullified through a petition filed by Wiper’s Twahir Abdulkarim.

Apart from the petitioner, the by-election has attracted Athman Ali Said (Chama Cha Uzalendo), Shutu Defao (Shirikisho Party of Kenya), Bernard Otsieno (Federal Party of Kenya) and Abdalla Abbas (Republican Congress).

Others are Jamal Bahassan (Maendeleo Party of Kenya), Adamson Kadenga (ODM), Ken Otieno (Ford Kenya) and a Mr Nzaro (Kaddu-Asili).

Kilifi Deputy Speaker and Sokoke MCA Teddy Mwambire of Cord has questioned the legality of the mini-poll.

He accused the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) of setting “a very bad precedent” when it gazetted the seat as vacant before the Speaker did. The fielding of multiple contestants by Cord partners has also put ODM’s Kadenga in the ‘tricky’ situation of having to fight coalition members to retain his seat.

Mr Mwambire expressed concern that Cord may lose the seat because Jubilee and Amani coalitions have only fielded one contestant each.

The fear of losing the MCA seat has forced ODM to come up with a team to spearhead a re-election campaign for Mr Kadenga.

Speaking to the Sunday Nation by phone, ODM executive director Magerer Langat said they were not taking any chances because Kilifi County was one of the party’s strongholds.

“We will be there starting tomorrow to ensure our candidate retains his seat in the by-election.”

Chama Cha Uzalendo organising secretary Alphonce Dzombo Mbaru asked Kadenga to expect a tough fight from ‘top’ contestants, whom he ranked as Mr Said, Mr Abdulkarim and Mr Abbas.

He predicted the winner would be the candidate who can marshall the bloc votes of the Swahili, Luo and Mijikenda communities in the ward that has less than 10,000 registered voters. “This ward has a turnout history of less than 60 per cent. Any candidate who can marshall 1,500 to 2,500 votes will win the seat,” he said.

However, the deciding factors in the election will be how contestants handle issues afflicting the ward such as squatters, low standards of education and empowerment of women and youth.

Others are chronic poverty levels, high rates of unemployment, housing, power and water distribution, sewage, drugs and school dropouts.

“But expect money, strong networks, Jubilee orphans, campaign styles and strategy and the message design to play a crucial role in the mini-polls,” said Mr Mbaru.

Meanwhile, the rivalry in ODM between the camps of Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho and Budalangi MP Ababu Namwamba and Funyula MP Paul Otuoma and Nominated Senator Agnes Zani may be a litmus paper for the Orange party campaign strategies in the Shella ward race. Divisive politics and internal wrangles have emerged within the party with the Orange Networking Team Coast region coordinator Nicholas Zani complaining of being sidelined from the mini-poll.

“Bringing a team from Nairobi and overlooking the local one will not augur well for the party’s candidate,” he said, urging Orange House to liaise with local leadership to recapture the seat. He said the botched nomination processes and direct appointment of candidates has cost the party more than five by-elections since 2007.

“There are people who want the status quo to remain that is why they will go at any length to frustrate others who want to make real changes for 2017 General Election,” he added.