MSAMBWENI MINI POLLS

By Tobby Otum

Campaign rallies for the Msambweni parliamentary by-election in Kwale county ended over the weekend with the D-Day for constituents to cast their votes to elect their new representatives being Tuesday.

The distribution of materials to all polling stations to be used for the by election will be carried out tomorrow [Monday] from 9 am at Diani secondary school in Kwale county which served as the tally centre.

Political big wigs traversed the entire constituency to woo voters for their respective candidates in the mini-polls.

Mombasa governor Hassan Ali Joho and ODM Director of Election campaigns Junet Mohamed pitched tent in the constituency for party candidate Omari Boga to succeed the late MP Suleiman Dori.

Speaking at a well attended rally Boga said he is confident to take over the leadership mantle from his former political rival.

He asked for forgiveness from those who he might have wronged adding that he is ready to forgive those who might have wronged him.

“I have a winners’ speech which I am ready to read during the last rally before I am elected,” he pointed out.

Former Machakos Senator Johnston Muthama led the campaigns for independent candidate Feisal Bader and rallied troops allied to Deputy President William Ruto to ensure Fesial succeeds his late boss Dori.

In their last efforts to woo voters the four candidates traversed the entire constituency to swing votes in their favor.

Other candidates cleared by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission [IEBC] to vie for overcrowded parliamentary seat were Ali Hassan Mwakulonda (Party of Economic Democracy), Marere Wamwachai (National Vision Party), Khamis Mwakaonje (United Green Movement] and Wiper candidate Shee Abdulrahman.

Camps allied to Ruto divided themselves into different wards in the last minute campaigns to woo voters for Feisal before holding their last rally at Ukunda market less than 400 meters from Ukunda bus terminus where Mombasa governor Hassan AIi Joho had pitched tent.

The outbreak out of COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the delay of the mini polls with the government taking drastic measures to stem the spread of the deadly outbreak.

But despite the government banning public gatherings all political parties ignored the directive and went as far as flaunting the health protocol on health to contain the spread of the virus.

The constituency has four wards with 68,500 registered voters with almost70 per cent taking part during the last general election.

In the four wards ODM has three members of county assembly with the one seat being held by Chama Cha Mashinani.

Bongwe-Combato ward has 17,500 registered voters, Ukunda ward which is cosmopolitan and the deciding factor has 21,500 registered voters. Kinondo ward where the deceased, Suleiman Dori, hails from has 11,000 registered voters and Ramisi ward where ODM lost the civic seat has 18,500 registered voters.