Members of Parliament from the Coast region, belonging to the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), who had rebelled against the party are trooping back to the outfit with the general election just a year to go. According to reports, the MPs are shaken by the recent political activities of Raila Odinga who has managed to have Taita Taveta, Mombasa, Kwale and Kilifi counties under his grip.
The sources confided to this publication, currently, the deputy president only enjoys the support of MPs Aisha Jumwa (Malindi), Owen Baya (Kilifi North), Khatib Mwashetani (Lunga Lunga), Mohamed Ali (Nyali), and former Mombasa senator Hassan Omar. Who have all assured him of running in 2022 using the UDA ticket.
In Taita Taveta, Mr. Odinga has successfully managed to woo Wiper’s Governor Granton Samboja, who currently enjoys huge support in the Taita Taveta county assembly to his camp. The county boss who also heads the Coast economic bloc, Jumuiya ya Kaunti za Pwani (JKP) hosted Raila Odinga last week at his Nairobi home where the two leaders discussed the coast region’s politics.
In Kilifi county, the ODM party has upped its activities with Gideon Mung’aro and former Kaloleni MP Kazungu Kambi, both Jubilee adherents, warming up to the outfit as they seek to succeed Governor Kingi. On the other hand, Governor Kingi has slowed down on his calls for the region to dump ODM for a Coast-based political party. The outgoing governor has been meeting Raila Odinga behind the scenes.
It is in Mombasa where ODM had the greatest win when businessman Suleiman Shahbal defected from Jubilee Party to the orange party. Shahbal will run for the gubernatorial seat in 2022. ODM Deputy leader Hassan Joho who seeking the presidential ticket also comes from Mombasa.
