MCAs claim Jubilee out to weaken Joho's government

Some members of the Mombasa County Assembly yesterday claimed Jubilee is behind moves to depose the assembly’s majority leader in order to infiltrate and weaken the administration of  Governor Hassan Ali Joho.

Two teams yesterday clashed in the assembly, each claiming to have the numbers to achieve their objectives, amid claims that a campaign to remove Khamis Ali Mwabashiri is an effort by Jubilee to control politics in the entire Coast region where it performed dismally in the March 4 general election.

It was also linked to the supremacy battle between Mombasa County Commissioner Nelson Marwa and Mr Joho with ward representatives favouring the status quo at the county assembly claiming it was part of the latest scheme by Jubilee to win over MCAs, MPs, senators and governors at the Coast ahead of the 2017 polls.

A group of Members of County Assembly (MCAs) led by Chief Whip Mohamed Ndanda and Likoni Ward Representative Abdalla Kasagamba vowed to remove Mr Mwabashiri, together with minority leader Karisa Nzai, accusing them of failing to deliver on their mandate.

On Wednesday evening, Kasagamba presented a list of MCAs to House Speaker Thadius Rajwayi who signed for the replacement of Mr Mwabashiri. Mwabashir is seen as a close ally of Governor Joho.

“As members of the party that sponsored both the majority and minority leaders, we declared that we have no confidence in them,” Kasagamba told the house. Mr Kasagamba reportedly handed over the report on behalf of the chief whip.

Mr Mwabashiri and Mr Nzai were not in the house when the speaker received the list that was aimed at sealing their fate.

All 30 elected MCAs were elected on ODM ticket and the 15 nominated members also belong to CORD.