Race for Mombasa woman's seat becoming mouthwatering

Amina Abdalla celebrates with other women at Patel Samaj Mombasa on April 27, 2017 after winning the nomination for the Jubilee Party's candidature for the Mombasa Woman Representative seat. PHOTO | WACHIRA MWANGI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Amina Abdalla, Asha Mohamed, Zamzam Mohammed and Halima Anwar Mohamed are in the contest.
  • They are members of the Jubilee Party, Orange Democratic Movement, Wiper Democratic Movement - Kenya and Maendeleo Chap Chap.
  • They will be attempting to fill the position currently held by Mishi Mboko.

The race to become the Mombasa Woman Representative is shaping up to be a mouthwatering one.

Ms Amina Abdalla defeated seven opponents to bag the Jubilee Party ticket after the primaries. She will face ODM’s Asha Mohamed who got the ticket after a fierce battle where she beat three opponents including 20-year-old model Sadaf Deen.

However, the two will have to face off with other candidates from parties like Wiper and Maendeleo Chap Chap and those vying as independents.

Each of the candidates will be attempting to fill the position left vacant when incumbent Mishi Mboko opted out and entered the Likoni parliamentary contest where she hopes to unseat long-serving Member of Parliament Masoud Mwahima.

The Wiper flag will be flown by Ms Zamzam Mohammed who bagged the ticket when she defeated seasoned politician Afya Rama, while Maendeleo Chap Chap has 31-year-old Halima Anwar Mohamed who is a first-timer.

Even before the official campaign period is announced, the majority of the candidates are spending most of their time in villages carrying out door-to-door campaigns.

Jubilee Party’s Abdalla says she has done a lot for the people, more than any of her competitors and expressed hope of winning the seat.

'SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT'

“I have done more for the people of Mombasa than any of my competitors in terms of social development and I believe I stand a better chance of clinching the Mombasa Woman Rep position,” she said.

She said she has fought drug addiction, helped rehabilitate mentally ill persons and done a lot for the youth, women, the disabled and the community as a whole.

But Mohamed, the Maendeleo Chap Chap candidate, described her opponents as "jokers and brokers". She said she is the front runner because of her political experience and social development initiatives.

Ms Anwar says she gained valuable experience while serving as Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar’s campaigner in 2013 and this places her in a good position to win.

Similarly, the Senate seat in the coastal town is up for grabs after the incumbent, Hassan Omar, opted to vie for the gubernatorial seat on a Wiper ticket to battle besieged Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho.

Prominent Mombasa lawyer Mohammed Faki bagged the ODM ticket when he beat several aspirants in the primaries who included former Mombasa county executive in charge of trade Hamisi Mwaguya, former executive in charge of sports Mohamed Abbas, Faris Rubeya, and politician cum businessman Hisham Mwidau .