Raila, Mudavadi head to Coast in vote hunt

By Ngumbao Kithi

KENYA: Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi are expected to tour Coast Province for separate campaign missions.

Their visits come at a time of growing debate over land issues in Coast and the Rift Valley provinces.

While Raila’s ODM party remains dominant in the province, Mudavadi has suffered setbacks in recent days, following defection of key ally Suleiman Shahbal to the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) to vie for the governor’s post in Mombasa.

Issa Timamy UDF’s gubernatorial candidate in Lamu remains the party’s most promising in the region, at a time when Raila’s allies in CORD are locked in a bitter race for key seats in Mombasa County.

The Prime Minister was last in Mombasa in December while Mudavadi last visited Kinango District late last year.

Land matters are expected to dominate the two leaders’ political rallies with Raila rallying support for the National Land Commission to address land injustices dating back to 1906 through the first independence government, to date.

On Friday, Raila will visit Hola and Garsen before heading to Lamu tomorrow for the Muslim Maulidi festival. He is also expected to visit Ganze and Kaloleni for a rally where he will be joined by his running mate Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka and Trade Minister Moses Wetangula. On Sunday, he will travel to Ukunda in Kwale.