Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho at a past event. [Photo/ the-star.co.ke]
Independent candidates drawn from the larger Mombasa County have vowed to back Governor Hassan Joho's rival Senator Hassan Omar.
The candidates led by Nyali parliamentary aspirant Mohamed Ali and Kongowea MCA Jabess Oduor who is vying for the county senate seat on Sunday confirmed that they will back Omar for Mombasa governor.Oduor has been the Governor's bitter critic while Ali fell out with the ODM deputy party leader after losing during the party primaries to Joho’s cousin Said Abdalla.The youthful politicians who were also accompanied by Mombasa Women Representative aspirant Zam Zam Mohamed also confirmed that they will back Raila Odinga's State House bid.The politicians' decision to back Raila's presidential bid comes hot on the heels of a recent decision by Kenya Association of Independent Candidates to support President Kenyatta's re-election bid.The endorsement of Omar is a big blow to Joho whose candidature is on the rocks after being blacklisted by activists alongside 19 other politiciana as being unfit to hold a public office over integrity issues.The activists are now requesting IEBC to bar the 20 politicians from contesting in the August elections.