Former Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar exchanges greetings with President Uhuru Kenyatta as DP Ruto and Tourism CS Najib Balala look on. [Photo/ Frank Idewa]
The race for Mombasa's 580,000 votes took a new twist on Sunday when former area senator, Hassan Omar, joined the Jubilee Party ship ahead of the October 26 repeat presidential poll.
Omar lost his bid to oust Governor Hassan Joho and has since filed petition in court challenging the former Kisauni MP's August 8 re-election.
The former Senator's political move which many saw coming is no doubt going to give fresh impetus to President Uhuru Kenyatta and NASA leader Raila Odinga's supremacy battle to run away with the county's votes.
During the August 8 poll, former Jubilee Party governor candidate Suleiman Shahbal 'single handedly' delivered 99,000 votes for President Uhuru Kenyatta. But much is bound to change in this month's poll.
The elevation of Tourism Minister Najib Balala to be in-charge of Jubilee campaigns in the region is a plus for the ruling party given Balala's immense political experience spanning over two decades.
Then comes the Hassan Omar factor.
The firebrand politician is still politically relevant despite losing in the August 8 poll.
Though he may not have the same clout as Hassan Joho, Jubilee should count on Omar to deliver some votes to springboard Uhuru's re-election bid.
With only two weeks to go, the Balala, Shahbal and Omar combination may be Raila's biggest headache in the port city and his lieutenants may have to swing into action to tame its influence.