Raila, Mudavadi to flex political muscles
Laban Walloga | NATION UDF presidential candidate and Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi is welcomed by party supporters at the Moi International Airport, Mombasa on May 18, 2012.
By DANIEL NYASSY dnyassy@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Friday, May 18 2012 at 22:00
Posted Friday, May 18 2012 at 22:00
IN SUMMARY
- ODM changes PM rally venue to avoid clash as police boss warns supporters against violence in meetings
Prime Minister Raila Odinga and his deputy Musalia Mudavadi are expected to flex their political muscles this weekend when they hold parallel rallies in Mombasa.
Already, organisers of the ODM tour by the PM have moved their activities from the Island to pave way for Mr Mudavadi who is scheduled to hold his rally at Tononoka Grounds on Sunday.
This was done to avert a clash between supporters of the two, who were once allies but are now competing for the presidency.
ODM national organising secretary and Kisauni MP Ali Hassan Joho on Friday said the roadshow planned for the island on Saturday and Sunday, which he said would have caused clashes between supporters of the two, had been cancelled.
“Our roadshow will now begin in Mtwapa and move towards Kilifi on Saturday. Another caravan will start in Kwale on Sunday, move to Msambweni in the South Coast and end at Likoni where the PM will address a rally at Caltex Grounds,” said Mr Joho on Friday through his personal assistant Francis Thoya.
Mr Mudavadi’s camp on the other hand will conduct their road shows on the island and hold a rally at Tononoka Grounds.
Mr Joho, who is also the Transport assistant minister, however admitted that the two parallel rallies will be “a litmus test” which will show who is more popular in Mombasa.
The gesture by ODM comes even as Coast Provincial Police Officer (PPO) Aggrey Adoli issued a stern warning to anybody planning to disrupt the rallies saying they would face the full force of the law.
Control supporters
The police boss also urged the two politicians to control their supporters.
“If they will not be able to control their supporters here, how will they control the whole country when any becomes President?” he asked.
He further warned that if any politician tries to free any supporters locked up for causing trouble, they would also be arrested.
Anxiety has been building up in Mombasa following the announcements by the two rival camps that they would hold road shows on the Island as a build-up to the Sunday rallies. Some feared that the two groups could clash.
The Prime Minister is expected to jet in Mombasa in the evening according to Mr Joho.
He is set to hold indoor meetings with various leaders and groups on Sunday before addressing the Likoni rally from 3pm.
Mr Mudavadi on the other hand landed at the Moi International Airport in Mombasa yesterday afternoon to begin his first tour of the province since he parted ways with his former boss.
According to councillor Lunani, Mr Mudavadi will attend a church service at the Neno Evangelical Church near Saba Saba in the morning.
Later on, he is scheduled to address the Tononoka rally in the historic grounds.
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