Governor Joho responds to viral fake resignation letter

ODM leader Raila Odinga and his Deputy Hassan Joho consult when the two met opinion leaders from Mombasa County at Wild waters in Mombasa on September 12. [Omondi Onyango, Standard]

Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho on Thursday dismissed reports that he quit Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) terming them fake news. 

Joho took to his social media pages and said the Orange party is strong and united ahead of the Msambweni by-election slated for December 15.

The Mombasa Governor also went ahead to caption the image with a short message that read, "The party is strong."

The ODM party trashed the letter saying the Orange party was not in the business of manufacturing lies and fake news.

“We thrive in truth, fake news is not our thing,” the party said and uploaded an image of the letter inscribed 'Fake News'.

The letter purported to have been written by the ODM deputy party leader indicating he had quit the party emerged on social media Thursday evening.

The letter contained what looked like the party’s official letterhead and a signature similar to that of Governor Joho was addressed to ODM party leader Raila Odinga.

In the fake letter, Joho thanked Raila for the opportunity to serve as the deputy party leader.

"I believe during my tenure I served you and the party members diligently including organising for campaigns in different parts of the country including catering for expenses even as the party was experiencing tough economic times,” read the letter in parts.

"It has been a learning experience for me and I do hereby tender my resignation as your deputy with a hope that you will give the youth another chance and also encourage divergent voices in how operation and relations in your party are carried," he continued.

Party supporters took to social media to castigate the governor for taking a bad decision with those allied to Tanga tanga urging him to join Deputy President William Ruto team.

The letter came a day before the ODM candidate in the Msambweni by-election Omar Boga was to present his nomination papers to Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) offices.

Reports indicate Boga will be accompanied by Joho among a host of other ODM leaders at the Coast.

Governor Joho is set to lead an ODM rally at Sawa Sawa Grounds in Msambeni today after the presentation of the papers.

“Our nominee for the December 15 by-election in Msambweni Constituency will present his nomination papers to the IEBC. We shall bring you the event and the subsequent rally at Sawa Sawa grounds,” the party tweeted on Thursday.

Joho is currently the most influential politician in ODM after Raila and will play a key role in the 2022 succession politics and the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) campaign.