President Uhuru Kenyatta and Kilifi North MP Gideon Mung'aro at a past event. [Photo/ thecoastcounties.com]
From frequent trips to the Coast to poaching of opposition leaders from the region, there is no secret that President Uhuru Kenyatta is keen to sway the opposition-leaning region to the Jubilee formation.And with the August contest drawing closer, the President is busy assembling a political team in the region that packs a political punch.Kilifi North MP Gideon Mung’aro who set in motion the ODM rebellion in the region will spearhead the President’s re-election agenda in the expansive Kilifi County.Mung’aro is keen to dethrone Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi in the August polls.In the neighbouring vote-rich Mombasa County, Governor hopeful Suleiman Shahbal has been tasked to consolidate the President’s support as the race for over 500,000 votes gains momentum.Kwale County, the epicenter of ODM rebellion, will see Womon Representative Zainabu Chidzuga market the President and his deputy ahead of the August contest.Veteran politician Naomi Shabaan who is the party’s candidate for the Taveta parliamentary seat will spearhead the President’s campaigns in Taita Taveta County.The ODM support at the Coast has been wavering in the past few weeks amid the controversy surrounding the just-concluded party primaries in the region.In Taita Taveta, the tug of war pitting Governor John Mruttu and Wundanyi MP Thomas Mwadeghu has threatened to split the party into two factions. The situation is not any different in Kwale where disgruntled aspirants have threatened to lead a mass exodus out of the party.