With Deputy President William Ruto setting the 2022 election momentum in motion, NASA leader Raila Odinga's Coast region voting block has been vulnerable to the DP's sustained onslaught with his key allies switching allegiance including Kisauni MP Ali Mbogo and his Jomvu counterpart Badi Twalib.
However, amid all this, Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho remains Raila's best political weapon in the region to reverse Ruto's gains. Why?
From which political Bible has Joho been indoctrinated? Of course Raila's. And if Raila could manage to keep Ruto at bay in the region for the past two elections, the fiery Governor is equal to the task.
Joho has built a name for himself in Mombasa. Probably, he has surpassed his own expectations since bursting into the political limelight in 2004. He has gained too much political muscle under Raila.
In Mombasa, he commands a huge following. His overwhelming win in 2017 can attest to that. Besides that, his loyal political lieutenants remain his biggest political asset.
With Likoni MP Mishi Mboko remaining a loyal ODM member and with a huge following in her own rights, she can suppress Ruto influence in her constituency, of course under Joho's command. The same applies to Changamwe and Mvita where there are other ODM MPs in Omar Mwinyi and Abdulswamad Sharrif Nassir respectively.
In Joho's own Kisauni turf, the Governor has another man, immediate former MP Rashid Bedzimba and himself. The duo can neutralize area legislator Ali Mbogo, NASA rebel.
With money playing spot in Kenya's politics, Joho is said to have deeper pockets which will automatically water down Ruto's influence.
And of course with Raila himself stepping in, the DP will be kept at bay in the battle for Mombasa's over half a million votes.