Malindi residents expect the next MP to address employment.
The mini-poll is next Monday.
In the last week, two polls have shown most residents are poor.
On Monday, youth interviewed by the Star said they want their next MP to help them get jobs.
“People are tired of parties. We want anyone who can get us jobs and help improve our living standards. We don’t want to be matatu touts,” resident Katana Charo said.
The polls were done by East Africa Dataline Consulting and Trends & Insights for Africa (Tifa) research firms between on February 25, 26 and 28.
EADC says most of those polled (52 per cent) said they consider the candidates’ track record.
But 40 per cent consider the candidates party affiliation.
Next Monday’s mini-poll is key not only for both Cord and Jubilee coalitions but also for rebel ODM’s Kilifi North MP Gideon Mung’aro and ODM Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi.
The two are eyeing the governor seat next year.
Cord leader Raila Odinga and Jubilee’s President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto have spent a lot of time at the Coast to drum up support for their candidates.
Pwani University’s Prof Rocha Chimera says Cord wants to retain its status at the Coast.
He says Jubilee wants to show Cord has weakened in the region.
“They (Jubilee) want to prove that now they have a foothold in the Coast,” Chimera said.
He said Coast is a significant vote bloc that Jubilee needs to win next year.
The professor said the Malindi mini-poll is a “matter of life and death” politically for Kingi.
“He has to win this seat to prove that he is still the Kilifi kingpin,” Chimera said.
He said Mung’aro is in Jubilee for convenience.
“He just wants to be governor and he cannot be with Cord. Cord will not leave Kingi,” Chimera said.
Cord campaigners have been able to revive party politics, while their Jubilee campaigners are pushing for candidate politics as opposed to the party.
This is after Malindi residents said “Cord has the wrong candidate in the right party while Jubilee has the right candidate in the wrong party”.
Cord is supporting Willy Mtengo while Jubilee is supporting Phillip Charo.