Tight race for Mombasa senate seat (Raila 70% Uhuru 17%)

By ALLY JAMAH

Mombasa, Kenya: A new opinion poll has predicted a tight three-way race for the Mombasa senate position, but suggested Human Rights activist Hassan Omar as a slight lead over two of his closest challengers.

Omar, who is vying on  Wiper ticket, has a slight lead over two of his closest challengers; former Tourism Minister Najib Balala and Assistant minister Ramadhan Kajembe.

Omar, who is vying on a Wiper ticket, scored 28 per cent, while ODM’s Kajembe and Balala (Republican Congress Party) are tied at 26 per cent, according to the poll by Ipsos Synovate.

The survey, which conducted through face-to-face interviews with 887 registered voters in the county, was commissioned by the Standard Group and conducted between February 6 and 9.

The pollster says the margin of error was plus or minus three and a half points and a confidence level of 96 per cent.

Interestingly, a large number of voters (12 per cent) are still undecided between Kajembe and Balala and the race may go either way.

Furthermore four per cent of the voters refused to reveal their preference or said they “don’t know, meaning that the seat is very much up for grabs.  The Mombasa senators’ race placed Alice Maitha and Hassan Mwakimako at 1 per cent.

According to the poll, Raila Odinga is the most popular Presidential Candidate in Mombasa County  with 70 per cent of respondent citing him as their choice, while Uhuru Kenyatta came a distant second at 17 per cent  followed by peter Kenneth (3%)  with Musalia Mudavadi and Martha Karua tying at 1%.

The percentage of undecided voters was low at1% meaning alost all residents have already made up their minds on whom they want for President.

on problems facing County, unemployment was considered the most pressing  challenge facing Mombasa County by 31 per cent of residents, followed by water problems (17%), crime and insecurity (14%).

Interestingly, the drug abuse, which has ravaged many youths in the county came 5th in the list of challenges (6%) after roads (9%).

Land issues, which have rocked the county also featured less prominently coming seventh in the list (6%). The problem of high cost of living did not feature prominently (3%) just like corruption (2%).