Aisha Jumwa leads calls to support Ruto’s 2022 bid as other leaders remain cagey

Governors Hassan Joho (Mombasa) and Amason Kingi’s (Kilifi) silence has given room to Coast leaders to flex their muscles in the political arena.

The recent outburst by vocal Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa in support of Deputy President William Ruto’s 2022 presidential bid is seen by some quarters as an attempt to reclaim the late MP Karisa Maitha’s clout.

Ms Jumwa has been pulling political strings in an apparent bid to fill in the void triggered by Joho and Kingi’s silence following the March 9 ‘handshake’ between President Uhuru Kenyatta and NASA leader Raila Odinga.

But critics argue that the Malindi MP is putting the cat before the horse as she tests the waters before declaring her gubernatorial bid.

Jumwa’s allies believe that the decision to back the DP’s presidential bid is likely to give her clout among populous Mijikenda community as it served to give coastal communities ‘political direction.’

Ganze politician Edward Kingi Lebannon says the Malindi MP, who is eyeing the Kilifi governorship, was determined to marshal the Coast region “that has no problem with Ruto though the Jubilee tag must be checked for obvious reasons.”

Mr Lebannon who has backed Jumwa’s governorship bid and Ruto’s State House bid notes that there is need for a political solution to Jubilee-phobia that saw the ruling party lose in the Member of County Assembly elections in Kilifi County.

“Jumwa is already a step ahead after declaring support for Ruto’s 2022 presidential bid. We will support both her Kilifi governor bid and her stand on Ruto who is a front runner in the presidential race because Coastals too need to be in government,” he says.

NEW ALLIANCES

Pwani University lecturer Hassan Mwakimako believes the Malindi MP was merely testing the political waters at the Coast through the outburst and not necessarily offering any political direction to local communities.

“Jumwa’s outbursts are premature and just amount to personal position rather than giving a political direction to the coastal masses,” he says.

“She is looking for new political alliances because she does not appear to be preferred gubernatorial candidate for 2022 by the incumbent governor. She is scouting for a political camp and that is why she is jumping to the Ruto side,” Prof Mwakimako says.

He says locals are still waiting for the governors to chart the way forward.

A Kilifi political analyst Philip Mbaji argues that at the moment Coast is in a big political and leadership dilemma that needs a daring politician to give direction.

“Coast is at the moment suffering a political identity crisis after President Kenyatta and Raila’s handshake.

“A courageous, brave and bold politician like Jumwa’s input at the moment is so critical to unlock the political uncertainty,” says Mbaji of Technical University of Mombasa.

He says it is difficult for leaders and residents to determine the political direction of a region that has been voting for ODM to the last man especially after President Kenyatta and Raila buried the hatchet last month.

“From the way she marshaled residents and the political leadership to win the Malindi seat with a landslide last year, I think Jumwa is the boldest politician to give Coast direction. It is a difficult scenario for leaders,” he adds.

But MPs Michael Kingi (Magarini) and Teddy Mwambire (Ganze) note that it is too early for the region to back a presidential candidate and should instead adopt a-wait-and-see approach.

RUTO SUPPORT

Ruto’s 2022 bid featured prominently at a Malindi women funds drive last Saturday that was presided over by Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka. Jumwa, Michael Kingi and Jubilee nominated Senator Christine Zawadi were at the event that realised Sh7.6 million.

Michael who is younger brother to Governor Kingi says it is time local leaders stood to be counted if the Ruto presidency becomes a reality.

“We have been failing to champion political courses from the onset as Coastals and instead we have just been followers of others.

“We are set to sit with the front runner Ruto and state our political terms and am sure this time around we will have our say,” Jumwa said at the fundraiser.