The ODM leader Raila Odinga’s rally in Mombasa County was temporarily halted by violence among a section of the crowd.
On Sunday, February 21, as various aspirants were being introduced at Tononoka ground, a fight broke out among opposing supporters.
Attempts by Suna East MP Junet Mohamed to call for calm did not bear fruit as the youths continued to fight.
The Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho was forced to step in and restore order admonishing those behind the crowd disturbance saying no one will be allowed to interfere with Raila’s meeting.
“This is Raila’s meeting and we will not allow such nonsense to disrupt Raila’s meeting… and I know those youths, I will follow you to your place,” Joho said as he restored order.
After Joho’s intervention, the rally continued uninterrupted as leaders called for tolerance among supporters ahead of the party preliminaries.
Ahead of the rally, there had simmering tension between supporters of Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir and businessman Suleiman Shahbal who are eying the Mombasa gubernatorial seat.
Both leaders are angling for the ODM ticket which enjoys massive support in the county to vie for the coveted Mombasa Governor position in the August 9 election
In his address, the ODM leader was forced to move in to calm the growing tension between the two aspirants.
The former prime minister called the two leaders to the podium and lifted both their hands saying they are all ODM members and should not let their competition break the party.
“We do not want to see these small fights between your supporters, ODM is one” Raila told the two.
Raila promised that the ODM primaries slated for April will be free and fair, calling on two leaders to support whoever will win the party nomination.
On Friday, February 18, the ODM Mombasa chair Mohamed ‘Dee’ Khamisi had warned against using youths to heckle rival leaders at the event.
