Malindi by-election outcome sends Jubilee back to drawing board

Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho is welcomed back to the town on Wednesday by supporters after camping in Malindi for nearly three weeks to campaign for the ODM candidate Willy Mtengo in the parliamentary by-election. (PHOTO: MAARUFU MOHAMED/STANDARD)

Opinion is divided on the impact of the Malindi parliamentary by-election outcome. ODM’s Willy Mtengo won with 15,582 votes against Philip Charo’s 9,243 in the March 7 polls.

Political analysts claim Jubilee’s campaign strategy was shambolic and ridden with infighting between the coalition’s loyalists and ODM rebels. On the other hand they say ODM mounted a well structured campaign led by Governors Hassan Joho (Mombasa) and Amason Kingi (Kilifi).