Brace for stiff competition, ODM aspirants tell Mwakwere

Kwale County gubernatorial seat aspirants in the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party have welcomed former minister and Kenyan Ambassador to Tanzania, Chirau Ali Mwakwere, to the party following his departure from Jubilee.

“We, the ODM aspirants for the Kwale County gubernatorial seat, would like to warmly welcome our brother Ambassador Ali Chirau Mwakwere to the party and remind him that ODM is the most popular party in Kenya,” said Issa Chipera, an aspirant.

Six candidates have so far lined up for the ODM ticket, aiming to unseat Governor Salim Mvurya in the 2017 elections. They include; Issa Chipera, Kwale County Speaker – Sammy Ruwa, Fomer Permanent Secretary – Mohammed Mwachai Mwarapayo, Nicholas Zani, Gereza Dena and Ali Chirau Mwakwere.

Mwakwere defected to ODM last week after meeting the party leader Raila Odinga and Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho.

His move came months after Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya ditched ODM, accusing the Orange party of lacking internal democracy and a development agenda.

Mwakwere, who is currently in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, is set to resign early next year in compliance with the elections law that requires civil servants to relinquish their positions six month to the General Election.

Speaking on behalf of the ODM gubernatorial aspirants at Kinondo’s ODM office, Issa Chipera said that there would be free and fair nominations and urged Mwakwere to brace for stiff competition.

Chipera appealed to losers in the party nominations to support the winner and campaign for him to ensure Jubilee do not clinch the seat.

The aspirant, who is currently the Plan International Country Manager in Uganda, was a close ally of Governor Mvurya but parted ways after Mvurya ditched ODM.

Mwakwere, however, has been warned against destabilizing ODM in the county as he allegedly did with the coastal political vehicle Shirikisho.

“We want to welcome Mwakwere to ODM but at the same time warn him because we still remember that he sold our party, Shirikisho, to PNU. He should not come to ODM through the backdoor and do the same,” said Abdalla Mambo, the Msambweni Sub-County ODM chairman.