Mombasa,
Wednesday April 3 2024,
KNA by Sadik Hassan
A simmering discord is brewing among the UDA fraternity after a section of members accused a party honcho of fuelling discrimination ahead of a grassroots election slated for June.
The members of UDA drawn from the Kamba community in a press briefing in Changamwe, Mombasa, decried that they have been sidelined based on tribal and religious lines regarding the sharing of state positions.
The ruling party has two factions in Port City one allied to Nyali MP Mohamed Ali and his nemesis Hassan Omar Sarai. Whereas, the Sibling rivalry pitting Nyali Legislator Mohamed Ali and the party’s Vice Chairman and EALA MP Hassan Omar came to the fore during the aborted delegate meeting where supporters of the duo clashed last year.
The Kamba leaders said the Coast unity championed by former Governor Hassan Joho and Hassan Omar will be elusive because of the failure to incorporate other tribes living in the six coastal counties.
Isaac Malila unsuccessfully vied for the Changamwe MP seat on a UDA ticket alleging that out of the 26 state appointments’ only five were given to Christians.
They singled out UDA Vice Chairman and East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP Hassan Omar Sarai for entrenching disunity among party members in Mombasa
“Sarai Hassan discriminates based on tribe, religion, and upcountry people. He has shown it openly,” he said.
He appeals to the Party Leader to compel the UDA Vice Chairman to concentrate on EALA affairs where he was nominated to stop meddling in local politics.
Malila lauded the Head of State for addressing the cost of living through various interventions. “We have seen the prices of cooking oil, maize flour, and other essentials have declined, it is a relief to the citizens,” he stated.
Michael Nato a UDA member said they want opportunities to be distributed fairly to all residents of the Coast regardless of tribe and devoid of threats when questioned.
On Hassan Joho’s ODM Party Leadership bid, Nato advised him to follow the laid down party structures in his bid to succeed. He noted that the camaraderie between Joho and Hassan risks jeopardizing UDA.
“Campaign among the delegates, let shun theatrics, (unless) you’re mulling an exit strategy to form a new party,” said Nato. He urged the UDA Vice Chairman to be a unifying factor in Mombasa as they approach grassroots elections.
James Maingi a UDA member stated that it’s a disgrace after the election leaders are being sidelined on tribal lines.
For instance, he noted that all the five UDA candidates who unsuccessfully vied for MP seats in Mombasa were appointed in various state agencies as board directors except Malili of Changamwe.
“The party must return to the drawing table to address the concerns and restructure the party. The disunity threatens to tear the party apart. Hence, we are not tourists, Mombasa is our home even our ancestors are buried here we are indigenous. We have a right to get a share of the cake in Mombasa,” said Maingi.
