Jubilee raids Coast as Joho holds NASA ground in Mombasa

Jubilee and the National Super Alliance NASA will renew their rivalry over the Coast region's vote when their top leaders embark on campaign rallies in Kilifi and Mombasa respectively.

President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto will be in Malindi town this morning according to the DP's spokesman David Mugonyi who also announced that on "Monday Jubilee will be in Tana River and Mpeketoni."

As the Jubilee principals embark on Kilifi to rally support for their candidates the Orange Democratic Movement deputy leader Hassan Ali Joho will lead Opposition leaders in a rally at Mvita Grounds in Mombasa. Unconfirmed reports indicated that Jubilee leaders intend to hold a rally at Mombasa's Tononoka Grounds on Monday too.

Whereas NASA is keen to tighten its grip on Coast, Jubilee is keen to chip away a significant fraction of the registered 1.79 million votes. Jubilee is keen on Lamu where it traditionally holds sway but also Kwale whose Opposition Governor Salim Mvurya defected to Jubilee last year. Jubilee is also keen to take Tana River after its Opposition Governor Hussein Dado Tuneya defected to Jubilee early this year.

President Uhuru Kenyatta is today scheduled to tour Lamu County amid renewed terror attacks blamed on an Al Shabaab militants operating from the expansive Boni forest.

Uhuru and his Deputy William Ruto will visit Mpeketoni, Lamu West as questions abound over the recent terror attacks that have killed many residents.

On Thursday three people including two police officers were killed when the jihadists waylaid the vehicle carrying Public Works Principal Secretary Mariam El-Maawy.

The escalation of the insurgency has sparked fear with hundreds of families in Pandanguo displaced or evacuated to pave way to the multi-agency security operations.

In Mombasa, a stage is set for confrontation after the Orange Democratic (ODM) leaders announced that Governor Joho will also hold parallel rallies.

"We are not aware that Jubilee will be holding rallies in Mombasa. We will today start our peace caravan rallies here in Mvita grounds," said Mvita Mp Abdulswamad Nassir.

He accused the police of creating fears and challenged them to arrest and charge the leaders which the security agencies say are financing gangs to cause chaos during the election.