The Orange Democratic Movement(ODM) party at the Coast received a hit after the Kenya African National Union (KANU) officially withdrew its support following claims of being undermined and sidelined by the regional leadership.
They said even though they are in the same coalition as Azimio la Umoja One Kenya they have a right to support other candidates from Governor to MCAs if they feel not accommodated as it is now.
Already in Kilifi County, KANU has thrown its weight to Independent Governor Candidate Franco Esposito Kasoso Baya a Kenyan of Italian Origin and vowed to campaign for him fully and ensure he wins in the August 8 polls.
KANU national organizing Secretary Abdulrahman Bafadhil said they are also working on Mombasa County and would declare soon who they will support but not the ODM Candidate Abdluswamad Sharif Nassir.
Addressing a press conference in Kilifi town where they officially announced their support for Esposito Bafadhil warned ODM party leader Raila Odinga against being misled by the Coastal party leadership as they could cost him and his quest for victory in the oncoming general elections.
“The same way Luos celebrated Obama as US president and he was a Luo, we Giriamas are celebrating an Italian to be Governor of Kilifi,” he said.
Mr Bafadhil said ODM was not friendly to KANU despite the fact that the party sacrificed its leader’s presidential ambitions in favour of Raila due to the respect of President Uhuru Kenyatta.
He said currently KANU party leader Gideon Moi is paying a big price in Baringo county for not supporting Deputy President William Ruto and instead threw his weight to Raila under the Azimio coalition but the ODM Coastal leadership was frustrating them.
The KANU national Organizing Secretary said the ODM party still think that KANU was still tied to the Umbilical cord of Azimio la Umoja Kenya One coalition that’s why leaders like Former Devolution CAS Gideon Mung’aro who is eying Kilifi Governor Seat and Abdulswamad Sharif Nassir of Mombasa had no time with other coalition partners.
“So We are telling the Right honourable Amolo Raila Odinga Our Elder you have not sat at the Presidential seat unlike us (KANU) who have been on the seat for many years, as KANU we have experience of losing elections we know the happiness of ruling and we know the bitterness of losing a seat,” he said.
Bafadhil told Raila that the country has now accepted him to become the fifth president of Kenya but if he won’t be careful things will go the other way because of the ODM leaders in place in Coast.
He said they support Esposito because he also supports Azimio Presidential flag bearer Raila and openly said there would be no six pieces voting in Coast.
“In Killifish County we have only one Governor who is Franco Esposito Kasoso Baya,” he said.
Bafadhil said currently they are working on Mombasa to ensure they get proper leadership.
He was accompanied by Esposito, and other senior KANU Party officials including Salim Sumra KANU Election Board Chairman Coast, Alex Mwanza KANU Secretary Kilifi County, and Martin Rimba KANU Chairman Kilifi County, and Safari Kilumo Chairman KANU Aspirants Kilifi among others.
While thanking KANU for declaring support for him Esposito said he was happy also to be supported by the Jubilee party, and upcountry people including Luos, Luhyas, and GEMA, Watta, and Orma communities in Kilifi County.
“It is my honour and privilege to be here with the leaders of the KANU party they have accepted me as their preferred leader for Governor, this is in the spirit of Azimio,” he said.
He said when the Magarini people asked him to vie for the Magarini parliamentary people he was worried they could not vote for a ‘mzungu’ but they assured him of support and even now he expressed optimism that he would win.
Esposito said he would be a servant of the people and will serve as per the constitution of Kenya.
“I am sure Raila Odinga will be the next president as much as I will be the next Governor of Kilifi,” he said.
KANU Election Board Chairman Coast Salim Sumra said as per the Coalition agreement of Azimio they were to work together to get the president but surprisingly ODM had sidelined them in Coast.
He said as KANU they have resolved to throw their weight to Esposito because they have no faith in the ODM Candidate.
“Due to the manner in which ODM is conducting their programs it has left KANU supporters as orphans because they organize meetings under Azimio umbrella but those in the frontline are ODM so we are saying enough is enough we need the changes and these changes are coming in Mombasa, in Kilifi, and in Coast,” he said.
KANU Secretary Kilifi County Alex Mwanza said they will not support ODM in the county from Governor to MCAs because they have been sidelined despite being in the same coalition.
“Today we officially declare that we have resolved to support incoming Governor Kasoso Baya because he has to same vision as KANU, we support Raila and Mama Martha Karua with the hope of bringing change in Kilifi but our brother in ODM we have tried to call them for meetings but each time they do OMD meetings alone,” he said.
