Nasa presidential flag bearer Raila Odinga and Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya at a past event. [Photo/ nation.co.ke]
Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya is the man seeking to spoil ODM leader Raila Odinga's party in the Coast region after cutting ties with the Orange party.
A political greenhorn in 2013, Mvurya was introduced into the murky world of politics by Raila Odinga and was elected the first Kwale County Governor after garnering more than half of the votes cast.Soon his political profile started rising and he has since become a formidable political force in the county.However, it was his unexpected decision to ditch the Raila Odinga-led ODM party to join Jubilee Party that has tasted his political mettle in the county that is pro-opposition.As the clock ticks towards the August 8 polls, Mvurya is becoming NASA coalition's biggest headache in the region.NASA affiliate parties are at risk of losing the governor seat to Jubilee with ODM and Wiper candidates embroiled in a bruising sibling rivalry.ODM has fielded Issa Chipera while Wiper has fronted Chirau Ali Mwakwere. According to analysts, the two are likely to split the Nasa votes and gift Mvurya a second term in office.Raila and his running mate Kalonzo Musyoka are believed to be in a dilemma over the matter as both Chipera and Mwakwere are unwilling to back down for the other.For the county that voted for Raila 80% in 2013, the figure is expected to drop in 2017 as Mvurya is expected to deliver a fraction of the county's 281,041 registered voters to Jubilee.