Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga has said the Msambweni parliamentary by-election will be a test for the popularity of the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) campaign to amend the constitution.
Mr Odinga said ODM has to win the seat, which was left vacant following the death of the party’s Suleiman Dori, by a landslide as a show of approval for the BBI ahead of a planned referendum.
“The by-election is a test for the BBI report and as a party that supports the constitutional changes in the country, we have to win this seat by a margin of 80 to 90 per cent,” he said.
The ODM leader said the BBI is important as it will solve a myriad problems facing the country as he rallied voters to back the party’s candidate, Mr Omar Boga, in the December 15 by-election. He spoke at Buffon Ross Hotel in Diani, Kwale County yesterday while meeting with local leaders. He was accompanied by Senators Mohammed Faki (Mombasa) and Steward Madzayo (Kilifi), Issah Juma Boy (Kwale), Kwale Woman Representative Zuleikha Juma and a host of Mombasa and Kwale MCA’s.
However Mr Boga addressed the meeting briefly and left in a hurry to meet President Uhuru Kenyatta in Mombasa where he was commissioning the Sh1.9 billion Likoni Floating bridge.
“Sorry to break the protocol I’m rushing to Mombasa to meet the President,” he said, urging residents to turn out in large numbers and elect him. Ms Juma alleged that Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya was giving out bursaries while accompanied by the Independent candidate Feisal Bader.
She urged the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to take action against the governor.
“It is unfair for a civil servant to use public resources to campaign for a candidate against the law. He goes to dish out bursaries in the company of Mr Bader. We will not allow this to happen,” she said.
“We can only affirm to be loyal members of the party and give respect to our party leader by voting in Mr Boga to win the seat,” Mr Faki said.
Mr Boy accused Mr Mvurya of being a lone ranger and supporting an independent candidate yet his party, Jubilee, withdrew from the race in solidarity with the ODM candidate on the strength of the ‘Handshake’ deal between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Mr Odinga.
“He is the only Coast governor walking alone and has gone against his party’s decision by supporting a candidate that his party leader is not supporting,” he said.
The grassroots leaders asked Mr Odinga to intervene and end their prolonged suffering citing historical land injustices, compensation and royalties.
Former Kwale senatorial aspirant Hassan Mzinga pleaded with Mr Odinga to help Mkwakwani residents affected by the proposed Ukunda airport expansion to get their rightful compensation.
“We are here to strategise on how we can retain the Msambweni seat because it belongs to ODM. But we are also asking you to help the locals get their compensation. As we speak, Malindi and Eldoret residents have already been paid,” he said.
Kwale nominated MCA Hanifa Mwanjirani also backed Mr Boga and asked Mr Odinga to help the county get royalties accrued since Base Titanium, the multinational mining firm, started its operations in the county.
“We have suffered enough and we want you to take this matter and have your people get the royalties,” she said.
