ODM primary campaigns gather steam in Kwale

 

Kilifi County Nominated MCA Barke Ali Mohamed (right) is blessed by an elder at Malindi's Watamu trading centre on Saturday. Ms Barke is an aspirant for the Watamu Ward seat. [photo: Maarufu Mohamed, Standard]

Campaigns for the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party primaries in Kwale County have hit fever pitch.

The nominations are slated for tomorrow and will run concurrently in Mombasa and Kilifi counties.

Msambweni MP Suleiman Dori, Kwale Speaker and governor aspirant Sammy Ruwa, Issah Juma Boy (senator) and Woman Rep aspirant Fatuma Masito have been meeting party members to drum up support.

During one of the aspirants’ meetings at St Joseph’s Primary School in Kwale on Saturday, the leaders lashed out at both Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya and the Jubilee government for insinuating that it (Government) had done a lot for development.

Last Thursday, Mr Mvurya said Jubilee Party had brought development to the region. He said Jubilee had equipped health facilities, initiated the tarmacking of the Samburu-Kinango road, built Shimoni Port and distributed titles deeds. The governor said the Opposition’s only agenda was removing President Uhuru Kenyatta without stating what they intended to do for the public.

“Those in the Opposition did not provide titles deeds even though they occupied the Land docket then. We supported ODM but they have done nothing at all,” he said.

But Mr Dori argued that the purported development was done by him, not Jubilee.

He warned Mvurya that he should be ready to go home after August 8, just like he was voted in overwhelmingly through ODM in 2013.

“How we kept you in 2013 is the same way we will uproot you. Tell him he will go home. He has gone to Jubilee for his own interests, not for Kwale,” said Dori. Speaker Ruwa accused the Jubilee leadership of only having interests in mineral, land and oil.

“They are buying land in Kinango because there is oil; if they are not in minerals, they are in beach plots,” he claimed.

He said he was the only one capable of defeating Mvurya and Chirau Mwakwere at the ballot through ODM.

“We need strong candidates from ODM to face governor aspirants Mwakwere and Mvurya. I am the only one who can beat them,” he said.

Aspiring senator Boy, brother of the late Senator Boy Juma Boy, said they would deal with Jubilee head on from village level, house to house, until they were sent home.

Juma Boy’s burial in February turned into a campaign against Jubilee leaders in the region.

The late senator was a critic of the county government, especially its handling of the county’s mineral wealth.

Mvurya and his deputy, Fatuma Achani, did not attend the funeral.