It will be a showdown on Sunday as Jubilee brigade led by President Uhuru Kenyatta and the opposition NASA led by Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho hold parallel campaign rallies in Mombasa.
Joho will lead a group of NASA leaders for a rally in Mvita, while President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto will pitch tent at Jomvu area, the two events running concurrently.
Mombasa Jubilee deputy governor running mate Annania Mwaboza said President Uhuru’s team was now focusing on remote areas of Mombasa County ahead of next month’s polls.
“We are now going at the peripheries. Last week, DP Ruto was in Junda.” Mwaboza said.
“Their last rally will be at Jomvu before heading back to Mombasa in Nyali,” Mwaboza told the Star on Saturday.
The opposition on Saturday said the Mvita rally will mark the beginning of a series of campaigns to neutralize any inroadsJubilee might have made.
“ODM fraternity in the county saw it wise to start tomorrow (Sunday).
“The message that we want to spread everywhere is peaceful campaigns which will culminate to the date of general election,” host MP Abdulswamad Nassir said.
Mombasa woman rep Mishi Mboko, Jomvu MP Badi Twalib , Omar Mwinyi of Changamwe, Rashid Bedzimba of Kisauni and Nyali’s Said Abdalla will accompany Joho during the rally.
Jubilee has made numerous trips to Mombasa and the coast region to try and make inroads in the region they scored bismally in the 2013 polls.
In 2013, Uhuru managed 64,793 votes in Mombasa, representing 23.79 per cent of total votes cast, while Raila garnered 189,985 votes (69.77 per cent).
Key leaders from Mombasa led by Joho’s deputy Hazel Katana, Masoud Mwahima (Likoni Mp) and Suleiman Shahbal are notable figures who dumped the Opposition for Jubilee.
Whether they will influence any voters to Jubilee remains to be seen.
