Deputy President William Ruto, Tourism CS Najib Balala and former Mombasa governor aspirant Suleiman Shahbal during a Jubilee rally in Mombasa on Friday. [Photo/ DPPS]
A storm is brewing between two factions backing the re-election of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto in Mombasa ahead of the fresh presidential elections.According to the Star, there is a rift between supporters of Tourism CS Najib Balala and former Mombasa governor aspirant Suleiman Shahbal.Balala’s side feels that Shahbal has failed to deliver the Coastal vote to Jubilee and he does not deserve to lead the team.However, Shabhal on Friday dismissed claims of a rift among the leaders."We are all fighting for the same cause. There is no confrontation," he said.Later on in the day, Jubilee politician Abdulsalaam Kassim caused chaos before the arrival of Ruto when he accused Shahbal of failing the region during the August general elections.Kassim said that Shahbal, who contested against Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, does not deserve to spearhead Jubilee’s campaigns in the region because he is a ''non-performer'."You failed us! You sold us out," Kassim said moments before the arrival of DP Ruto. It took the intervention of Ruto’s personal aid Farouq Kibet and Anania Mwaboza to calm down the crowd, which had started jeering at him.