Parliament building. [Photo/ the-star.co.ke]
Outgoing Kisauni MP Rashid Bedzimba’s loss in the just-concluded August 8 elections was not accidental considering the nature of the constituency's politics.
Bedzimba, a key ally of Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, polled 29,752 votes while Ali Mbogo who won the seat on a Wiper ticket, garnered 38,898 votes to ensure that the one-term cycle in the constituency which dictates Mombasa politics continues.The constituency which was formed in 1988 had its first MP Hemed Mzee elected on a KANU ticket. However, he did not defend his seat during the 1992 poll as Ford Kenya's Rashid Mzee clinched the seat.Rashid Mzee would later suffer the same fate as his predecessor when he lost the seat to DP's Emmanuel Karisa Maitha in 1997 who was re-elected in 2002 but never completed his second term following his death in 2004.Anania Mwaboza succeeded him after a by-election only to lose the seat to ODM's Hassan Joho in 2007.Joho served for five years until 2013 when he was elected as Mombasa Governor.Bedzimba took over from Joho in 2013 but his ambition to be the first Kisauni MP to serve for two terms was dimmed by MP-elect Ali Mbogo.