Mwinyi breaks ranks, opposes Nassir bid to succeed Joho in ODM

Changamwe MP Omar Mwinyi has broken ranks with his fellow ODM members and called out Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir as the jostle for the vacant deputy party leader positions intensifies.

Mwinyi on Thursday said Nassir cannot be an ODM deputy party leader, saying "he does not have the capacity".

“This seat is very important and the occupier should be someone with substance, who does not have problems with those below him, one who cooperates with his people, one that can mobilise masses and one who can say no and stand by his decision,” he said.

“My Mombasa governor wants that seat. As Omar Mwinyi, I do not hate him, but he cannot be. Why? Because here in Mombasa, three quarters of the leaders have a problem with him.”

Mwinyi spoke at Bomu Secondary School where he donated a bus.

This comes a day after a section of ODM MPs, led by Jomvu's Badi Twalib, threw their weight behind Nassir, saying he has fought hard for ODM.

“He has shown his leadership since he was MP. He is showing it now as governor. He has what it takes to be the deputy party leader,” Twalib said in Nairobi.

He was flanked by the party’s Nairobi county chairman and Makadara MP George Aladwa, Kwale Senator Juma Boy and Woman Rep Fatuma Masito.

They said Nassir has dedicated his life to ODM and deserves the recognition.

Aladwa and Twalib said Nassir has played a big part in ensuring ODM dominated Mombasa and the Coast region.

“As Nairobi people, we join our colleagues in Kilifi, Kwale and Mombasa to support Nassir for this position,” the Makadara MP said.

However, in Kilifi, some ODM members said they are fronting governor Gideon Mung’aro, throwing the spanner in the works.

Mung’aro, they said, has never turned his back on the party "like some people".

Speaking in Malindi, the ODM members and supporters led by ODM Malindi Town ward coordinator Stephen Opiyo, said Mung’aro has been loyal to the party and even used his own resources to sponsor the party in some instances.

“As Kilifi residents we plead with ODM to remember the loyalty of our Governor Mung’aro and reward him. He has stood with the party through thick and thin,” he said.

The supporters were referring to an instance when Nassir had just been sworn in as governor and was seen to be too close to President William Ruto for ODM leaders’ liking.

The two were inseparable whenever Ruto visited the region, launching projects together even in Lamu county, leading to speculation that Nassir could be on his way out of the party.

But Nassir, after a meeting with ODM leader Raila Odinga and his Kisii counterpart Simba Arati at English Point Marina in Mombasa on Wednesday, downplayed reports he is set to replace Joho as deputy party leader.

“We will cross the river when we get to it,” Nassir said.

He said Joho’s resignation as deputy party leader will not stall any ODM programmes across the country.

The Mombasa governor said there will never be a vacuum of ideology and the structure of ODM is such that it can never have any vacuum.

He said if members show their confidence in his ability to be one of the two ODM deputy party leaders, it speaks to his leadership abilities.

“If I am fronted then I am glad that those who are fronting me have seen my loyalty and capacity. But right now is not the time to talk about those particular positions,” Nassir said.

He said that decision is the party’s to make and not his own.

He said it is too early to start speculating about who will take over as who in the party structure.

“Our loyalty to the party is because we believe in its manifesto and its ideology. We believe in the fact that Kenya is stronger than an individual,” Nassir said.

He said he has capacity to serve people and bring in more vitality and verve in the party should he be given added responsibility.

Arati said they are only focused on strengthening the party across the country to be competitive.

“We will cross that bridge when we get there,” he said.

In Mombasa, Mwinyi said Nassir is exhibiting greediness.

He said the Quran forbids craving for positions and Muslim leaders should not fall into that trap.

There is also speculation that some forces are fronting Mombasa county assembly speaker Aharub Khatri to succeed Joho as one of ODM’s deputy party leaders.

Khatri has the financial muscle to mobilise masses and has the ear of almost all MCAs in the county.

The more than 40 MCAs run to him whenever they have problems, speaking to his father figure abilities.

However, he is yet to speak about the speculation as he has remained tight-lipped.