The battle for the ODM Kilifi gubernatorial seat ticket between Gideon Saburi, Gideon Mungaro and Jimmy Kahindi was evident when their supporters almost clashed during an ODM all aspirants meeting in Kilifi town.
It was a day full of drama in Kilifi town after supporters of two ODM gubernatorial aspirants almost engaged in a fistfight during a delegates meeting organized to sensitize candidates on the forthcoming party primaries.
The Supporters of Kilifi county assembly speaker Jimmy Kahindi and those of immediate former Devolution CAS Gideon Mung’aro who resigned early this week to focus on his gubernatorial bid clashed after both parties cheered their candidate after arriving at the venue of the meeting in Mkwajuni hotel within Kilifi town.
Both candidates are eying for the gubernatorial seat in an ODM ticket and shall face off in the nominations which are expected to be tough.
The meeting funded by Kahindi hosted over 1000 delegates and aspirants including Kilifi Deputy Governor Gideon Saburi who also declared interest in the top county seat together with some top officials from ODM headquarters in Nairobi.
Both candidates arrived separately in their own style backed by their supporters with Mung’aro arriving first almost the same time the ODM Chairman in Kilifi County teddy Mwambire arrived.
Mr Mung’aro accompanied by his supporters went round greeting supporters while dancing to signify that he was the most popular aspirant.
Shortly after Kahindi also arrived with a group of his supporters who accompanied him to the VIP sitting area while also cheering in support of their own candidate.
During this time the other group which had camped on the other side of the dais also began cheering loudly in solidarity with their candidate.
The cheering squads got so close to an extent that some began pushing each other and others nearly fighting in the glaring eyes of the leaders and the ODM officials from Nairobi in what was seen as a supremacy battle.
Police came in and tried to separate the two groups to be on different sides.
Kilifi ODM Chairman also intervened by rushing to the dais to try to calm the situation and when the two groups went on cheering at each other he called all the elected legislators present and the gubernatorial aspirants on the dais to handle the situation.
He told the DJ to play a song where all leaders began dancing before he urged the supporters of the two candidates to behave themselves and they cooled down but stayed intact in their separate groups.
Kilifi Woman Representative Gertrude Mbeyu who was the MC at that time also urged the youths to avoid fighting for politicians who had taken lunch together without any hatred.
The ODM officials told the aspirants about the party nomination rules, payment modes so as to enable them to prepare early
Mwambire who was chairing the meeting announced that by next week there would be five gubernatorial aspirants in the ODM party in the county and announced that Kenyan Envoy to Tanzania Dan Kazungu had even sent a representative Emmanuel Nzai after calling him in the morning.
Further, he said former Assistant Minister Francis Baya had also hinted that he could be joining the gubernatorial race on an ODM ticket.
He thanked Kahindi for funding the delegates’ meeting and assured all aspirants that nominations would be free and fair.
The speaker on his part said he organized the meeting so as to ensure they revive the party and put in fresh energy.
Kahindi said they held a meeting with party leader Raila Odinga and agreed that there was a need to come together so as to revive the party.
“My brother Mung’aro and brother Saburi we are beginning this journey together and we are all in ODM we have come together to build the party together within ODM we have a responsibility of raising the flag of Raila and ensure he becomes the fifth president,” he said and called for peaceful nominations.
Kahindi told the delegates that now they are going to hit the ground fully to ensure that ODM moves forward adding that at the end there will be one flagbearer of the governor in ODM in Kilifi county.
Mung’aro on his part said anyone is free to contest for the governor seat because it’s democratic and urged supporters to desist from fighting because of a candidate.
He also called the ODM supporters to respect each candidate who is vying for the seat and remain united even after the nominations.
“I am officially in Kilifi county since Tuesday this week and those who want to know am conversant with the ground will meet me there,” he said.
The former CAS said his track record is straight as he has delivered while serving in different capacities from Mayor of Malindi, Malindi MP, Kilifi North MP, Minority Chief Whip among others adding that he has the expertise to take Kilifi forward.
He put the corrupt Kilifi county officials on notice as he would expose them for the rogue deals they did.
Others present included Saburi, MPs Ken Chonga, Kilifi South, Paul Katana of Kaloleni, and his Rabai Counterpart Wiliam Kamoti.
Kilifi Senator Stewart Madzayo and a host of MCAs were also present.
