Is Mombasa Governor Hassan Ali Joho working to succeed his party leader Raila Odinga in 2022? Well , details have emerged that Close associates of Joho are silently working to ensure that he becomes heir to ODM leader Raila.
They are secretly campaigning to popularise the flamboyant governor as a likeable politician who can turn foes into friends.
This is in readiness for a potential presidential bid should Raila decide not to run for president in 2022.
In almost every political function, Joho’s allies tout his popularity across the country and ask supporters, especially those at the Coast, to support one of their own.
Joho has declared he is interested in the presidency in 2022.This has created tension between him and his Kilifi counterpart Amason Kingi, who has also declared interest.
Although the two appear together in functions and promise to work out a formula on who will be the presidential candidate in 2022, their camaraderie is not like it used to be.
There is a silent tug of war between the two governors’camps over who is the Coast kingpin.
Joho loyalists in the silent campaign include MPs Mishi Mboko (Likoni), Omar Mwinyi (Changamwe), Teddy Mwambire (Ganze MP), Ken Chonga (Kilifi South), Zulekha Hassan (Kwale county) and Asha Hussein (Mombasa county).
Joho is the ODM deputy party leader and has to contend with his co-deputy party leader and Kakamega governor Wycliffe Oparanya and Suna East MP Junet Mohamed in the race to succeed Raila.
Junet has Raila’s ear and appears to be his most trusted lieutenant at the moment.
Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir has also joined the list of Joho loyalists who want him to be Kenya’s fifth president.
On Sunday, Nassir confirmed Joho is being prepared to run for the presidency.
“We are confident that Hassan Joho will be on the ballot paper for president of this country,” he was quoted by a local daily.
The MP said so far Raila has not declared interest in the presidency in 2022, thus making Joho the outright frontrunner from ODM.
“I will be on the frontline [supporting Joho]. I will blame Hassan Ali Joho very vehemently if he is not going to be on the ballot paper. He will be on the ballot paper. It is not his choice. It is the choice of the people,” Nassir said.
Changamwe’s Mwinyi said it is important that Joho’s allies across the Coast start activating his support base.
At an award ceremony for the Machele Super Cup at Burhaniya Secondary School, the MP was concerned that Joho’s supporters take him from granted.