ODM Party leader Raila Odinga and Jicho Pevu's Mohamed Ali during a past event. [Photo/ zipo.co.ke]
The race for the ODM Nyali parliamentary seat ticket is expected to take centre-stage during the party nominations scheduled for this week in the vote-rich Coast region.Despite the fact that at least four candidates are angling for the precious ODM ticket, the contest has degenerated into a two-horse race pitting Governor Hassan Joho's cousin Said Salim and Raila Odinga's protege journalist Mohamed Ali.Backed by his huge financial muscle, Salim has traversed the constituency which has many business interests in the county. However, Moha Jicho Pevu as he is popularly known, has used his brand name to market himself despite the financial constraints that have dogged his campaigns.The two political rivals have in the past clashed with the latest one being during the ODM rally at the historic Tononoka grounds last month. However, the two played down the incident.May be as a way to boost his chances of clinching the party ticket, Ali has been conspicuously present almost during all ODM rallies which the former Prime Minister has attended and has emerged as his staunch defender. However, many political pundits say the move may count for nothing as the Joho-effect in ODM Coast chapter cannot be ignored.As to who wins the party ticket remains a matter of time. But at end of it all, the battle for the ODM ticket in the tycoons-controlled Nyali between the two political debutants is a contest to watch during this nominations period.