Parties intensify Malindi poll campaigns

Cord leaders during a campaign rally for ODM Malindi Constituency aspirant William Mtengo at Ngala grounds, Kilifi County, on February 8, 2016. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Mr Charo’s group held three rallies at Kakoneni, Lango Baya and Gahaleni while the other team was at Sosobora and Girimacha.
  • Governor Hassan Joho of Mombasa and Kilifi’s Amason Kingi are leading campaigns for the ODM candidate but appear to have taken a break since Monday.

Malindi was a flurry of activity on Friday with the Jubilee Alliance Party holding rallies for its candidate Phillip Charo while the ODM team embarked on a door-to-door campaign.

The by-election will be held on March 7.

The Jubilee team is divided into two groups, one led by Mr Charo and the other by ODM rebel MP Gideon Mung’aro and Kinango’s Gonzi Rai and their Lunga Lunga counterpart Khatib Mwashetani.

Mr Charo’s group held three rallies at Kakoneni, Lango Baya and Gahaleni while the other team was at Sosobora and Girimacha.

Mr Charo said he would fulfil promises made by President Uhuru Kenyatta when he visited the area last month.

Among the promises was the tarmacking of the Malindi-Sala Gate road, creating jobs through the National Youth Service, improving education facilities, drilling boreholes and improving water supplies from the Baricho Waterworks.

“I will transform the lives of Malindi people a short time after this by-election so that they have reason to re-elect me next year,” he said at his Ganda Village home.

When Nation went to ODM candidate William Mtengo’s village home in Msabaha, he was said to have travelled to Mombasa.

His father, Mzee Harold Maghenyi, said the door-to-door campaigns were in top gear.

Governor Hassan Joho of Mombasa and Kilifi’s Amason Kingi are leading campaigns for the ODM candidate but appear to have taken a break since Monday.

Kakuyuni County Assembly Member Nixon Mramba said the ODM campaign team is divided into three groups.

“Governor Joho is in charge of Shela and Malindi town wards, Governor Kingi will take care of Ganda Ward while Kilifi Woman Rep Aisha Jumwa is in charge of Kakuyuni and Jilore wards,” he said.

He said campaign rallies would officially kick off on Monday. “At the moment, committees are carrying out door-to-door campaigns, meeting women groups, boda boda groups and youth groups at the grassroots,” he said.