Mvurya to battle Joho for Ruto, Raila votes in Coast
Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya (left), Deputy President William Ruto (centre) and ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi greet Kaya elders at the Kwale Stadium in Kinarini during a Kenya Kwanza Alliance rally on February 6.
The inclusion of Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya as one of the principals in Deputy President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza Alliance now opens the battle with Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho on who will deliver the vote rich region to their respective outfits.
The announcement of Mr Mvurya’s elevation as a principal was made on Saturday during a rally at Kinarini Grounds in Kwale County, attended by DP Ruto, Mr Musalia Mudavadi and Mr Moses Wetang’ula. The Kwale governor will coordinate Kenya Kwanza activities in Coast region.
Mr Mvurya, who is serving his last term, will take over the mantle from Nyali MP Mohammed Ali, Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa and former Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar.
Mr Mvurya, who officially dumped Jubilee for Dr Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) together with his deputy Fatuma Achani, is said to be critical in popularising the alliance as he is not vying for any political seat.
He will now take on Mr Joho, Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi of Pamoja African Alliance (PAA) party and Taita Taveta Governor Granton Samboja who are the point men leading Orange Democratic Movement leader Raila Odinga’s Azimio la Umoja outfit.
The Coast, firmly behind Mr Odinga in the 2013 and 2017 elections, gave DP Ruto and President Uhuru Kenyatta 258,000 votes in 2017, up from 158,000 in 2013, when Mr Odinga polled 612,057 votes. In 2017, the UhuRuto team also gained two governors, snatching Mr Mvurya from ODM and using Lamu’s Fahim Twaha to beat Mr Issa Timamy.
Mr Timamy is still in Mr Mudavadi’s Amani National Congress. Mr Mudavadi and Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetang’ula joined DP Ruto to form Kenya Kwanza Alliance.
Dr Ruto is looking to double President Kenyatta’s 2017 performance at the Coast, votes he sees will be at the expense of his rival, Mr Odinga who still has a strong sway in the region.
Mr Mvurya will now have the responsibility of organising Kenya Kwanza rallies in the six Coast counties as well as making key decisions for the alliance.
“Mr Mvurya has now joined Mr Mudavadi and Mr Wetang’ula among other Kenya Kwanza Alliance members to make key decisions for the next government,” said DP Ruto. The deputy President added that Mr Mvurya’s track record has earned him a position at the high table.
The move was lauded by MPs Khatib Mwashetani (Lungalunga) Benjamin Tayari (Kinango), Aisha Jumwa (Malindi), Kassim Tandaza (Matuga), Feisal Bader (Msambweni ) and Owen Baya (Kilifi South).
But it won’t be a walk in the park for Mr Mvurya as he seeks to sell Dr Ruto in the region. In the last elections, Kilifi delivered all parliamentary seats to ODM, as did Mombasa.
In Mr Johos camp are tens of legislators including Garsen’s Ali Wario, Abdulswamad Sharrif (Mvita), Mishi Mboko (Likoni), Teddy Mwambire (Ganze), Ken Chonga (Kilifi South), William Kamoti (Rabai), Omar Mwinyi (Changamwe), Andrew Mwadime (Mwatate), Said Hirbae (Galole) and Kilifi Senator Stewart Madzayo. Others are Jomvu MP Badi Twalib, Kilifi Woman Rep Getrude Mbeyu, her Mombasa counterpart Asha Hussein, Ruweida Mohamed (Lamu) and Kwale Senator Issa Juma Boy.
