Coast ODM MPs skip Raila Odinga Iftar dinner

Cord leader Raila Odinga,Nyali MP Hezrone Awiti Mombasa senator Hassan Omar,Ashu Hussein and Sheikh Omar Twaha during the Iftar attended by Cord leaders at Fort Jesus Mombasa on Tuesday evening .Photo Elkana Jacob

July 16, 2015

BY BRIAN OTIENO

ALL four elected ODM MPs and Governor Hassan Joho were conspicuously absent during Tuesday’s Iftar dinner at Fort Jesus, where Cord leader Raila Odinga was the chief guest.

The dinner was hosted by Mombasa Senator and Wiper party secretary general Hassan Omar.

The absence of the Mombasa ODM brigade sent quiet murmurs of tension between Wiper and ODM party members of Cord in the region.  Wiper MPs in the county Badi Twalib (Jomvu) and Hezron Awiti (Nyali) attended the function, which saw close to 1,000 Muslims from diverse backgrounds also attend. Awiti and Joho are entangled in a war of words over the leadership of the county. The Nyali MP has declared his interest in Joho’s position.

However, Omar and all the four ODM MPs in the county were quick to dismiss the notion of a possible rift in the Cord family in Mombasa.

“There is no such thing. Those issues are totally imaginary. If there is such a divide, and the basis is that somebody does not attend iftar, then it will be unfortunate,” Omar told the Star on Wednesday.

Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir said the absence of ODM MPs from the event should not be seen as a deliberate snub. “I don’t think it should be read that way,” said Nassir, adding that he does not know why the other ODM MPs did not attend the Iftar. He said he received the invitation from Omar late and had already committed himself to another event.

“Personally, I received an SMS to invite me. But that SMS came a day before the function and I had already committed myself to other invitations,” said Nassir on the phone on Wednesday.

He said he was unaware that Raila would attend the function. Omar admitted that he sent invitations on Monday, which was short notice. He however said the main objective of the Iftar was achieved.

“We had over 1,000 people from different backgrounds attend. Iftar is about togetherness,” he said. Kisauni MP Rashid Bedzimba broke the fast in his constituency, with supporters. “Breaking the fast with my brothers at Snake Valley,” Bedzimba posted on his official Facebook Account at the same time the Fort Jesus Iftar was happening. He however could not be reached on the phone to explain his absence.

Joho is away in Saudi Arabia for Umrah, and sent his apologies to both Omar and Raila. Changamwe MP Omar Mwinyi is the only MP who personally called Omar to ask to be excused. Likoni MP Masoud Mwahima said he did not get any invitation to the event. He however said he is unaware of any rift between ODM and Wiper MPs in the county. Mombasa county women’s representative Mishi Mboko said she got the invitation but had been held up in meetings in Nairobi.

She also denied there is a rift between ODM and Wiper MPs in the county. She said they have been working together as a family. “There is nothing of that sort. I was informed but was in Nairobi for three crucial Transport committee meetings ending today,” she texted the Star yesterday.

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