Joho is coastal kingpin, has to be on negotiation table

Cup pressure peaks as Shabana host Kenya Police in blockbuster quarter-final Football

Upper Hill coach Walgwe unperturbed despite drawing giants in Prescott Cup group phase Rugby

East African Legislative Assembly MP Suleiman Shahbal has alleged a plot by unnamed people to destroy the ODM party.

He said some party members are being used to divide ODM for selfish interests, and Mining CS Hassan Joho "is a stumbling block to those efforts".

“There is a deliberate attempt to divide the party within, and there are people in the party who are being used to break up the party,” Shahbal said.

The EALA MP, who spoke in Mombasa on Friday, said there is a big effort to push Joho out to weaken the party.

However, Shahbal said this will not work.

He claimed some people fear a strong ODM, which will have a strong bargaining power at the negotiating table and will demand a big chunk of what the coastal region and its other big support bases deserve.

“A united ODM is in a very strong negotiating position. A divided ODM will become a bunch of chickens running around. And I have no intention of being one of those chickens running around,” Shahbal said.

“If Joho is kicked out of the party, he will move out with at least 40 MPs.”

This will be a big blow to the party, and it will break an emotional bond that had been in existence for more than 20 years, he said.

Former ODM leader Raila Odinga (deceased), Shahbal said, had an emotional bond with the people of the Coast region since 1992, when he supported the then Islamic Party of Kenya (IPK) led by the now Changamwe MP Omar Mwinyi, Sheikh Balala and now Mombasa Senator Mohamed Faki.

He said coastal political leaders have stood with Joho and take him as their leader.

“Hassan Joho has been with Raila since 2004. He has stood with Raila come rain, come shine.

“When Baba was being sworn in as the people’s president at Uhuru Park, when all the leaders ran away because they were scared of treason, who stood there? Joho!” Shahbal said.

“We can see clearly attempts to kick out Joho. But any attempts to alienate this guy is going to backfire seriously.”

Joho has had three major meetings with coastal leaders this month alone, including on Raila’s would-be 81^st birthday, which was celebrated at Sun N Sand Resort in Kikambala, at the Kenya Maritime offices in Mbaraki, Mombasa last Wednesday and then on Friday at the same venue with Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen.

This is seen as a way to shore up support for his stature as the coastal political kingpin, which comes with bargaining power on the negotiation table.

Coast is seen as a crucial vote block that any serious presidential candidate must carefully and seriously look at.

The region had about 1.96 million registered voters by 2022 general election.

The number will most likely pass the two million mark by the time the next year's general election is held.

All three meetings have been successful, going by the remarks the coastal MPs have been giving.

The MPs want Joho at the negotiation table. That is their rallying cry.

Former CS Aisha Jumwa has gone as far as indicating she is willing to rejoin ODM but only if Joho is made the ODM leader.

On Friday, during a meeting with Luo professionals at Tudor Pastoral Centre, Shahbal said Raila left ODM as a national party with members and offices across all the 47 counties.

“You cannot start excluding people now. It won’t work. Otherwise, it will end up decimating this party, leaving it as a shell,” he said.

He said Joho is the coastal kingpin, whether they like it or not and he has to be included in any negotiation “because he is the spokesman for the Coast”.

“If he leaves, 44 MPs will follow him. What will be left? So it is important that ODM sits together and comes to terms. Differences of opinion do not mean division. We can agree to disagree. It doesn’t mean that we have to fight and break the party,” Shahbal said.

INSTANT ANALYSIS:

CS Hassan Joho has cultivated an image of being a leader of the coastal people. His political journey has been moulded through a financial muscle that allows him to organise big events and a youthful demeanour that has endeared him to the youth, who are the majority in the country. He also has a support system that ensures he remains on the straight path.