Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala and Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho ended their political differences in a public display of reconciliation on Monday.
The two top Jubilee Party and ODM political heavyweights shook hands and hugged for the first time after years of political rivalry at the county offices.
Mr Balala has never stepped into the governor’s office despite holding the tourism docket, which is the region’s economic mainstay and the two have never held a single meeting together.
But on Monday, Mr Balala who was accompanied by Environment Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko, reached out to Mr Joho and pledged to work with him to give service to residents.
Their unity, they said, followed President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga’s March 9 peace deal that has changed the country’s politics, cooled tensions after last year’s elections and stabilized the country.
Mr Joho and Mr Balala emerged from a meeting attended by other county executives and Tourism and Environment officials to announce their new-found alliance.
“If Raila Odinga and Uhuru Kenyatta can reconcile, what can stop Joho and Balala from doing so? We have played politics but unfortunately that politics divided our people. Today we want our people to unite. The delivery of service is more important than our politics that is divisive,” said Mr Balala.
“I recognize you as my governor 001. You are the choice of the people of Mombasa and I respect the democratic right of the people. My brother you have my handshake, my commitment, my support and that of the national government to you. You can count on me,” he added.
On Monday, reports indicated that Mr Joho and Mr Balala had earlier had a meeting with President Kenyatta at State House, Mombasa, before heading to Treasury Square to announce their reconciliation.
“At a meeting with Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho attended by Cabinet Secretaries Najib Balala (Tourism) and Keriako Tobiko (Environment), the President also agreed to a request by the County Government of Mombasa for a city regeneration intervention modelled on the Nairobi Regeneration Programme,” a statement from State House spokesperson Kanze Dena said.
Mr Balala, who parted ways with Mr Joho after the collapse of ODM Pentagon prior to the 2013 elections and formed his own party which backed Jubilee, has been critical of the governor over his frequent attacks on President Kenyatta.
Mr Joho has however since entered a political ceasefire with President Kenyatta and pledged to work with the government.
A jovial Mr Joho praised President Kenyatta and Mr Odinga for working to bring the country together.
“I told Najib that for the last four years I was not sure whether I am a governor or just a layman because I did not enjoy being a governor but now I am already feeling that we are able to make a difference and enjoy our offices,” said Mr Joho.
“We have discussed how we can synchronize programmes and develop a coordinated approach on how to work together to achieve the transformational agenda that the President has in terms of leaving a legacy and that of mine,” he added.