ODM postpones Kwale grassroots election to avert fall out

By Tobby Otum

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) national election board has postponed Kwale grassroots election which was to be held this weekend to avert a fall out.

The party national elections coordinating committee chairperson Emily Awita downplayed tensions in the party in the county saying the postponement was due to the ongoing rains in the area.

In a one-page press release she said they had received a request to temporarily postpone the much-anticipated weekend county polls as they assess the situation assuring that the polls will be held when the rains subside.

The move to postpone the weekend exercise comes barely a day after a failed attempt by the party to reconcile two factions and to have a consensus.

Efforts by Kilifi senator Stewart Madzayo to have former Kwale County Woman Representative Zuleikha Hassan and incumbent party chairman who is also former Matuga MP Hassan Mwanyoha to come to a consensus flopped during a closed-door meeting at a Mombasa hotel.

Madzayo was dispatched by ODM headquarters and pitched tent in Mombasa county to reconcile the two factions before the party grassroots polls get underway but his efforts failed.

Kenya Muslims National Advisory Council (KENBAC) chairman Sheikh Juma Ngao is considered as a third force ahead of the postponed county grassroots polls.

Zuleikha confirmed there was an attempt to reconcile her with incumbent Mwanyoha but things never worked out.

She was addressing the media when she launched ODM county team fresh with an aim to revive the party leadership from the grassroots level with a new team in place. She was speaking at Mazeras Primary school in Kinango sub county in Kwale county.

The former Kwale legislator told the media the worse part of the reconciliation bid was for her to step down for the second time for Mwanyoha which she said she declined.

Zuleikha was flanked by ODM Kinango sub county chairman Safari Victor Nyange and ODM Msambweni sub county chairman Kassim Choka.