Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho with Senator Hassan Omar during a past event. Photo/ nation.co.ke
The political rivalry pitting Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho and Senator Hassan Omar is a threat to National Super Alliance's (NASA) unity and its dominance at the Coast, a political analyst has said.
According to Peter Ngure, a Kiambu based lawyer and analyst, NASA risks losing ground in the Coast region if Governor Joho and Senator Omar will continue to discredit each other politically.Ngure notes that the rivalry between Joho and Omar is giving Jubilee Party aspirants in Mombasa and the larger Coastal region a chance to dominate the region that is perceived to be an opposition stronghold.“NASA risks losing the Coastal vote if Joho and Omar will not tolerate each other since they both in the opposition,” he said.The duo have in the recent past engaged in heated debates on who controls Mombasa politics.Omar is seeking to unseat Joho in the August 8 general election on a Wiper Party ticket.On Sunday, Joho said Mombasa is an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) stronghold and that Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper Party has no room in the county.Omar has since dismissed Joho’s remarks, saying Wiper is ready to take over Mombasa politics.The outspoken senator has been quoted saying that Wiper will not accept joint nominations under the NASA umbrella.Analysts predict a fall out between ODM and Wiper in regards to the coalition's nominations.NASA top leadership is said to be fronting for joint nominations to avoid losing to their opponents come August.