Nyali MP hopeful Mohamed Ali (centre) after receiving endorsement from Luo elders and opinion leaders. [Photo: Mohamed Ali/ facebook.com]
Raila Odinga's ODM party was dealt a blow in Nyali Constituency, Mombasa County after members of the Luo community endorsed independent candidate Mohamed Ali for the MP seat.
In an event held on Saturday, the members of the Luo community vowed to back the veteran journalist in his bid to clinch the seat which is currently held by Hezron Awiti.The former KTN investigative journalist was later installed as Luo elder. In return, Ali who rose to fame for his investigative series 'Jicho Pevu' promised to take care of the community’s welfare if elected, and exuded confidence that he will win the seat come August 8.He accused past regimes in Mombasa of using the community as a ladder to leadership and later ignoring them."No amount of smear campaign and propaganda from my opponents will stop the change wave. The era of using the Luo community in Mombasa county at large as a ladder to leadership positions and not rewarding them is gone. Luos have woken up, this time round they won't be used again. My leadership will give the Luo community their fair share in the Nyali cake,” said Ali.Ali's endorsement comes barely two days after the ODM caravan in the county led by Governor Hassan Joho toured the constituency in a bid to neutralize his influence.