Yet another politician walks out on Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya

Kwale County Governor Salim Mvurya. He has been isolated by Coast leaders who are not keen to see him re-elected. (PHOTO: FILE/ STANDARD)

Opposition to Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya has grown further after he was deserted by his only remaining ally.

Msambweni MP Suleiman Dori, one of the Orange Democratic Movement’s (ODM) deputy national organising secretaries, announced on Sunday that he had ditched Mr Mvurya.

Mr Dori said that he would no longer support Mvurya, two days after Kwale County Assembly Speaker Sammy Ruwa, who is believed to enjoy the support of top ODM leaders in Coast, announced he would contest for the Kwale gubernatorial race on an ODM ticket next year.

Mr Ruwa and other Mvurya opponents are being egged on by tycoons opposed to the governor.

Ruwa, a Duruma just like Mvurya, has spearheaded local opposition to the governor who has had trouble controlling the county assembly and local MPs.

Mvurya is also the chairman of Jumuia ya Kaunti za Pwani and deputy chairman of the Council of Governors. He has not had close relations with top ODM officials since he appeared to draw close to Deputy President William Ruto in 2013 and 2014 before returning to the ODM fold.

Some CORD governors accuse him in private of showing lukewarm support for the Opposition coalition’s causes in Coast, including during the recent by-election campaigns in Malindi, which he never attended.

Critics also accuse Mvurya of staying away from key ODM governors’ conferences in Nairobi and avoiding to meet CORD principals when they visit the Coast.

Within Kwale, opposition by some MPs appears to have taken an ethnic angle amid reports that politicians are plotting to oust the governor and support former Matuga MP Chirau Ali Mwakwere for his seat.

Mvurya’s sole remaining ally now is Kinango MP Gonzi Rai of The National Alliance. The governor has vowed to defend his seat next year on an ODM ticket.

Some MPs also accuse him of “being aloof” and failing to consult them on development projects in their areas.
Mvurya has also fallen out with MPs Hassan Mwanyoha (Matuga), Khatib Mwashetani (Lungalunga), Zainab Chidzuga (Kwale County MP), Senator Boy Juma Boy and a number of MCAs.

During an event to give out Uwezo cheques at Kinondo ward on Sunday, Dori who was accompanied by Kenya Muslim National Advisory Council Chairman Sheikh Juma Ngao, accused the governor of working in isolation.

Sheikh Ngao and Dori accused the governor of nepotism and mismanagement of public funds, claims the governor’s office has denied.

“Why is it that he doesn’t want to work with anyone? Among all the elected leaders, I was the only one who was with him but now enough is enough,” said Dori who claimed the county administration has not rehabilitated the Msambweni Referral Hospital.

clear agenda

Ngao was more blunt and claimed that Mvurya had no political future.

“I am just telling you that in this county you don’t have a governor. If you think five years is 50 (years) then it’s coming to an end next year.

“The game is clear if we want to remove Mvurya ...We are scholars, we know how to campaign. We can reach our people and remove him within hours,” Ngao said.

Yesterday, the governor said through his political advisor, Francis Ndiege, that he had no problem with any leader.

“He (Mvurya) has a clear agenda of development and his interactions with other leaders are on that basis. He was elected on the platform of promises that he made to the Kwale electorate,” he said.

The governor, added Mr Ndiege, is delivering on those promises. “Kwale people will therefore answer Juma Ngao with their votes in August 2017,” he said.