ODM attacks Mohammed Ali over Joho insults

Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) MPs at the Coast have lashed at Nyali MP Mohamed Ali’s persistent political attack at Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, saying that he is playing to the tunes of Deputy President William Ruto. – By Ramadhan Kambi. 

In a statement signed by all Coast ODM MPs led by Ganze MP Teddy Mwambire who is also the CPG Secretary, the MPs said that it was unfortunate that Mr Ali has tried to impress the DP by insulting the Mombasa Governor, but his tricks will not work in the region. 

“Mr Ali s gripe with Mr Joho is that in the Governor, he sees a person and level he will never reach, a credible coastal giant who will deliver the masses from the perennial troubles of landlessness, joblessness and marginalization.  

It is inconceivable for Ali to imagine that the dream of all Coastal people is to feed from the fraudulent hands of Dr Ruto and seek handouts from his loot. If he was literate enough, or had the intellectual capacity slightly above a warthog’s, he would know that if the Jubilee government has failed to deliver the Coast from poverty and marginalization, the DP has firmly been at the top of that government,” the statement said. 

Later in an interview with Uzalendo News, Mr Mwambire who is also the secretary of the Coast Parliamentary Group (CPG) said ever since ODM was formed in 2005, it has been a darling of the Coast people and no one will take this truth from the people. 

“ODM has consistently spoken the language of land rights, economic empowerment, and resurrection of collapsed industries and improvement of the living standards of the people. Whenever we have agreed over substance and style, whether within our party or with our current partners in government, we have handled these disagreements with utmost dignity, cognizant of the delicate balance between political rhetoric and pragmatic delivery. It is something way above the comprehension of intellectual dwarfs like Ali,” Mr Mwambire added. 

Mr Mwambire said the Nyali legislator may never understand the problems of the Coast because he is not originally from there.  

“Years of marginalisation have seen our beaches benefit only a select few, our cashewnuts lie in their deathbed, our sugar industry at Ramisi is in the doldrums, our youths struggle for jobs and our land rights still remain a distant dream. If we were to feed on Ruto’s rhetoric, we would have to wonder how better off his people in the Rift Valley are, before we can dream of this paradise he wants to bring to the Coast. But our casual glance shows that people in his own backyard are mired in hunger, lack of water, lack of school classrooms and poor health. Indeed, this paradise that he plans for the Coast but not in his backyard, must be a mirage,” Mr Mwambire added. 

The MPs told Mr Ali to know that Governor Joho is not his equal in any way, leave alone opposition leader Raila Odinga.  

“If he wants a contest, our party has enough young men to engage him. If he is looking for relevance, he might do well not to hide behind the Deputy President for political mileage,” Mr Mwambire said.