Residents of Kwale County have said they will vote for Governor Salim Mvurya regardless of his political affiliation.
The residents said the governor has initiated a number of projects in the area, thus deserves re-election.
This comes a few days after Mvurya and nine other leaders were expelled from the ODM Party for decamping to other parties ahead of the 2017 elections.
Over 300 residents have come out to defend Mvurya's decision to quit ODM.
Led by Sheikh Kassim Zani, the residents said ODM's move to expel their governor was like “kicks of a dying horse”.
Sheikh Zani said as residents of Kwale County, they were ready to stand with their governor even if it means going back to the ballot box.
“We are all behind Mr Mvurya until he is re-elected in 2017 because of his track record. Those who are against his leadership are people who have failed,” he said, as quoted by the Nation.
Zani’s sentiments were echoed by Kwale County Women League chair Binti Raso, who said Kwale is no longer an ODM stronghold, and the party's leaders should stay away from the county’s politics.
“ODM should know that they do not have the support of Kwale anymore. As Kwale residents, we have now woken up and we are not going to allow other people to meddle in our affairs,” she said.