NASA leadership in Mombasa, August 4, 2017. [Photo| Courtesy]Differences between Mombasa governor candidates, Ali Hassan Joho of the ODM party and Senator Hassan Omar Hassan of the Wiper Democratic Movement Kenya, escalated, publicly, Friday.The two National Super Alliance (Nasa) leaders differed before their party leaders and supporters, during a Nasa rally at Mama Ngina Drive, with each accusing one another, of being the inappropriate candidate for the people of Mombasa.Trouble began when governor Joho who is seeking a second term, addressed the crowd, accusing Omar, of being used by some of the critics of his government, to bring him down.He said Omar was only vying after being funded to do so, but did not have the personal interest to be the governor."If leadership is about being sent to bring me down.. if politics is about opposing each other for selfish gains.." Joho said, referring to Omar, who is the Wiper secretary general.Joho accused his opponent of criticising everything he does, for personal reasons, and further assured him that the people of Mombasa would vote for a Joho government, amid cheers from the crowd.
When given the chance to address, Omar accused Joho of failing to contain the garbage menace in the coastal county, saying he was the answer to all the problems Mombasa people face.This however did not go well with supporters of Joho, who started jeering and preventing Omar from speaking."Even if you prevent me from speaking, I know the people of Mombasa want change. Garbage and corruption will be eliminated by my government," Omar continued, despite large noise from the crowd.Nasa chief campaigner, co-principal Musalia Mudavadi was forced to cheap in to calm the situation, with Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka saying: "We are competing because Nasa is a family. Do not fight because we are a family."
This was the last Nasa campaign in Mombasa, ahead of Tuesday elections.