Mombasa readies for Governor elections
An IEBC official at the Mvita Constituency Tallying Centre at Swahilipot Hub on August 28, 2022.
Parties will renew their political rivalry on Monday when their candidates contest the Mombasa Governor election.
The Independent, Elections and Boundaries Commission said it had completed all the preparation for the process.
The commission postponed the Mombasa gubernatorial election alongside that of Kakamega following errors in the ballot papers on Augus9, 2022.
The county boss election is deemed a two-horse race between Abdulswamad Nassir of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and Hassan Omar of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
ODM candidate in the Mombasa governor election Abduslwamad Nassir.
Besides the two, other candidates are former Nyali MP Mr Hezron Awiti (VDP), Mombasa Deputy Governor William Kingi (PAA), Daniel Kitsao (independent), Shafii Makazi (Upia) and Said Abdhalla (Usawa Kwa Wote) who have a chance of emerging victorious.
The Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Alliance team led by former minority leader John Mbadi exuded confidence of winning.
"We are happy with the preparations of our teams, the campaigns that we did and concluded on Friday. Now the team is ready to protect our votes and deliver victory to our candidate Abdulswamad Nassir," said Mr Mbadi.
To show the seriousness of the party’s bid to recapture the seat, ODM leader Raila Odinga camped in the county last Tuesday and Wednesday to drum up support for Mr Nassir.
Mr Nassir accused the UDA team of spreading fake polls showing he was lagging behind in the governor race.
UDA candidate Hassan Omar in cap during campagns for Mombasa governor seat.
“The true polls have shown that ODM is ahead in this race. The election is ours to lose and we are optimistic that we have the support of our people,” Mr Nassir said.
Mr Odinga told voters to support Mr Nassir saying he has his personal endorsement and is part of a longer-term plan to keep ODM in power.
Mr Awiti dismissed reports that he had stepped down for Mr Nassir.
"I am still in the race. Politicians are going round telling my supporters I have stepped down," he said.
The Kenya Kwanza team led by former Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria said inroads made by UDA in Mombasa would eventually pay off.
Meanwhile, security has been enhanced in Mombasa and its environs.
IEBC Mombasa Returning Officer Swalha Yusuf said all the tallying centres that were initially in schools have been relocated to social halls.
“We had to comply with the Ministry of Education directive and change the tallying centre of Jomvu constituency from Mikindani primary school to Mikindani social hall and the Mvita tallying centre from Tudor Day secondary school to Swahili cultural centre,” added Ms Yusuf.
