Politicians in Mombasa have warned the ODM leadership against 'forcing' residents to vote for candidates who have been endorsed by the party.
The politicians claimed that most of the MPs in the Coast region were unpopular but they were voted in as ODM party remains the movement of choice.
The leaders claim that the ODM party has hatched a plan to lock out some of the aspirants by issuing direct nomination certificates to its favorite candidates.
Mombasa County Assembly MCAs Riziki Fundi (Bamburi) and her Mjambere counterpart Khamis Mwabashir alongside Kisauni Parliamentary seat aspirant Ali Mbogo warned the residents not to accept 'handpicked’ leaders.
The leaders warned that the move will compromise development in the region.
They urged residents to exercise their democratic right of making their own decision as we go to the next polls.
“Kisauni is notorious for insecurity and drug abuse despite the MP being a member of the National Parliamentary Security Committee,” said Mbogo, who is a critic of Kisauni MP Rashid Bedzimba.
“The constituency is in dire need of a positive change. We need leaders who can articulate issues of the people and strategies coupled with policies. People of Kisauni should not make the same mistakes again. There will be no direct nominations here,” said Mwabashir.
The leaders said the move goes against the majority of the peoples will.
“We don’t want to be victims of imposition of political rejects. It should be understood that residents are tired of electing leaders who are imposed on them by some people. We want locals to elect leaders of their choice,” said Mbogo.