Raila’s ODM loses grip on Coast stronghold

The ODM party, which has enjoyed coastal support for the past 15 years, is fast losing its grip on the region as other political parties make inroads, winning over its party leaders.

In the past few months, the party has lost leaders to the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), and the new Coast-based Pamoja African Alliance (PAA).

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s party has suffered most in Kwale County, where only Senator Juma Boy Juma is still standing with it. Kinango MP Benjamin Tayari, who was elected on the party’s ticket, has since jumped ship to Deputy President William Ruto’s UDA.

Kingi's exit

The exit of Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi from ODM with a number of elected leaders, led by Magarini MP Michael Kingi, and several members of the county assembly, has also dealt a blow to the Orange party.

Mr Kingi played a key role in ensuring the party clinched most of the political seats in the county in past elections. During the 2017 General Election, when he was the ODM county chairman, he secured all the seven Kilifi MP seats, the governor, senator and woman representative seats for ODM.

Apart from that, Mr Kingi ensured ODM rules in the County Assembly by clinching 27 out of the 35 MCA seats.

In Mombasa, Nyali MP Mohamed Ali has been moving from door to door in the county to woo more members to join UDA.

Mr Kingi’s opening of PAA headquarters in Nyali, at Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho’s doorstep, is bound to rekindle the supremacy war between the two political leaders. Mr Joho is currently out of the country.

The Kilifi County boss is using his ODM connections to win over members into his new party.

In 2017, Mr Odinga garnered 801,031 votes against President Uhuru Kenyatta's 287,606 votes in the six coastal counties.

PAA

On the first day of registration of PAA members in Mombasa, hundreds of people turned up to join the party, sending a strong message to ODM.

“We have begun countrywide registration in Mombasa and we intend to recruit more than two million members across the country. Today we have registered 2,000 members and we intend to cover 40 counties and open 30 offices in different regions,” said Mr Ibrahim Hamisi, a PAA official.

Mr Hamisi said the party intends to make significant headway across the country, starting with the Coast, and it will field candidates in all elected positions.

On Sunday, PAA launched the registration at its Kilifi offices in Bofa, on the outskirts of Kilifi town, and in Lamu and Tana River counties.

ODM member, and Kilifi North MP Owen Baya defended his party, saying PAA had nothing to offer Coast people at the national level.

Mr Baya criticised those supporting PAA, saying they were seeking sympathy votes from the coastal communities.

“Those shifting from ODM or any other party to PAA should be bold and tell us what they have done for Coastal people,” said Mr Baya.

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