Tag: Joho

Clash of Interests, Is Marwa A Politician or Administrator As He Steps Up War On Governor Joho

Coast regional coordinator Nelson Marwa is known for his stern administrative directives and enthusiasm to fight terror. He has also known for his on and off the feud with the Mombasa Governor H.E Ali Hassan Joho who at some point described him as ‘a small person’ in fact a desk officer.

Their beef season is back, and Marwa is doing what he does best to please his boss. He is threatening to arrest Governor Joho for leading a group of rowdy boys to bring down a perimeter wall around a piece of land that the governor alleges belongs to the defunct municipal council of Mombasa.

Marwa, on the other hand, told journalists that the parcel of land in VoK area near Bombolulu belongs to the Kenya Broadcasting Cooperation (KBC) and not Municipal Council. He said that the government would arrest Joho and have him charged in court.

“We have not seen any of the 47 Governors chest thumping and breaking the law, we will not allow the governor to go free after destroying property that cost the tax payers money to put up,” said Marwa. The feud between the two is nothing new; Joho sees Marwa as the president’s ‘mtu wa mkono’ who seeks every opportunity to frustrate his efforts even after being promoted from being Mombasa County Commissioner to Coast regional coordinator.

No one has seen other regional coordinators at war with governors either. The said parcel of land has been lying idle for decades in a place where absentee landlords dwell when the natives are turned squatters. The working relationship between the two leaders is wanting, no one is interested in watching their unending drama.

The coordinator may have a valid point, but he seems to be so working for the executive forgetting that whatever he does for the executive should be to the right of the people. This cannot be achieved through constant fights with the county governments. You can’t transfer governors; you can transfer coordinators if their relationship with the regional governments is affecting service delivery.

Mombasa and the entire coast region want to be served with dignity, not chest thumping and supremacy battles. The national government has always been seen to be ‘after’ governor Joho, the already created impression can’t just be whisked away whether Joho is wrong or right, Marwa is a federal government appointee and known to be serving the interest of his employer.

Leading a troop of hooligans to demolish the wall is not acceptable, the governor had other better options to address the issue, but this is happening because it’s a habit that has been condoned. Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko once led a group of hooligans, punching walls and breaking private property in protest of public land grabbing, nothing was done to him. The law should not be applied selectively.

Joho is not the only governor in the Coast region; Marwa has become so much of ‘a puppet,’ anyone can guess who is pulling his strings and the crowd he is entertaining. He should stick to provincial administrative mandates and let politicians play their dirty games. Provincial administration roles and politics don’t mix.

October 4, 2016
This Man Governor Joho And The Rich Muslim Voting Block , What Worries Statehouse Most

Ethnicity has been the key voting pattern since the onset of multi-party democracy in the early 90’s, parties have never won top seats through well-laid strategies, driven agenda or proper party manifestos. Politicians have always done tribal arithmetic to rout their opponents, the recent being ‘tyranny of numbers myth’ where considerably two large tribes teamed up to beat their opponents and share top political seats, president, and deputy president positions.

The pattern goes beyond tribal lines, religion and geographical proximities also play significant roles. Opposition party ODM seems to be working out a formula along the lines of religion, with enough support from regions bordering Nyanza and beyond. The party is rooting for a well-calculated move to bag the Muslim vote. They are on a steady path after the party’s deputy leader and Mombasa county governor, H.E Ali Hassan Joho, successfully organized an anniversary rally just over a week ago in Mombasa, to last Sunday’s rally in Nairobi and a major fundraiser in Wajir the following day.

Joho is currently playing in the national political league with enough authority as the coast region’s kingpin and the 2022 presidential candidate. He’s now moving from his comfort zones, holding rallies outside Mombasa County and stretching beyond the party to be the voice of the Muslim community which boasts of over 1.6 million votes. Islam is the dominant religion at the Coast and North Eastern Kenya, but they have been marginalized since independence. Members were at some point held at the Kasarani stadium in an abusive round up that aimed at screening individuals of Somali origin. They had no stronger voice to speak against the unlawful detentions other than quiet whispers that Islam is not terrorism.

Things are now changing.
Suna East Mp Hon. Mohamed Junet believes Joho is now their leader. “Joho is the undisputed Muslim leader and has shown the leadership, determination, and courage to snatch the most coveted seat away from Jubilee. The Muslims in Kenya have been marginalized for over 50 years. Joho will become the Malcolm X in championing the rights of Muslims,” said Junet. Majority Leader of the National Assembly Hon. Aden Duale represents the Muslim voice in the Jubilee administration but going with the current flow of events, the group that has never had a share of the fruits accrued for over 50 years is finding a leader with the national outlook in Hon. Ali Hassan Joho.
Duale lost it all for playing too sycophantic politics and enriching himself forgetting to lead his group.

When he sensed the support shifting to Joho’s base, he worked everything possible with the Interior CS Joseph Nkaiserry to scuttle a prayer meeting organized by Joho at Jamia Mall in March this year. The meeting did not go as planned and they were forced to hold prayers outside the mosque after some received intimidating calls from Harambee House.
Now as 2017 draws closer with political landscapes changing, Joho is fast cementing his position in national politics and as a high-ranking, muslim leader to command the Kenya Muslim community. A section of the Muslim community has already endorsed him for 2022 presidency. A vibrant national Muslim leader has been missing for decades since the demise of the late Shariff Nassir.

Duale is now less than his competition; Joho is the Cord’s/ODM’s man to counter Jubilee’s DP William Ruto. He led the top delegation of ODM team to Wajir where he donated the undisclosed amount of money. They raised shs 11.6 million to expand Madrassa Tul-Taqwa and Al-hudaa, the event was also used to popularize ODM party in the region. DP William Ruto is known for his ‘generous’ contributions, the man he is mostly likely face in the ballot in 2022 is also doing the same.

September 28, 2016
Shame As Governor Joho’s Chief of Staff Makes Away With Sh100K And Insulting Kitui Residents

Mr Kyalo addressing the crowd in Kitui town during Joho’s stopover

Mombasa Governor Joho is currently enjoying high calibre political privileges given his renewed vows to popularize ODM. During the recent party’s celebration in mombasa, the party’s Dep Chairman announced Raila as their presidential candidate and personally vowed to lead from the front, Raila’s nationwide campaign.

As it manifests, the governor has already hit the rail with a stopover in Kitui for a mini rally which had an impressive turnout. He proceeded to Nairobi where together with Governor Kidero led in the celebration of ODM. The rally in Mathare was as well a success.

However, all that shines is not as merry, Kenya Insights has learnt that Joho’s Chief of Staff Mr. Kyalo is silently undermining the character and reputation of the governor’s brand. According to an informant, Kyalo is now a wanted man in Kitui after insulting the residents on Saturday and failing to pay Kshs 100,000 allowance made for men who provided security to the Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho during his visit in the town.

The Chief of staff is on record demeaning the County residents as fools and telling off the youths who had provided security to the prominent politician not to expect a dime from him despite having entered into an agreement with them prior to the event.

Details that we’veindicate that The Chief of Staff who also happen to be from the area and a popular figure amongst the residents, had earlier on Saturday met 20 young men who were to provide security to the Governor on arrival. According to their ageeement, each of them were to receive an allowance of Kshs 5,000 and that the amount was to be paid on completing the job. Naturally, being someone they know, they bought into his verbal contract.

Joho addressing the Kitui Crowd

Things took a complete turn when immediately after the event and joho left, Mr. Kyalo left with his car to a restaurant along Kitui-Kibwezi highway with a few friends where they enjoyed some drinks for a few hours before leaving to Nairobi. He left the youths stranded at the event venue without paying them immediately as agreed. They made frantic calls to him and he arrogantly told them off, dishonering the agreement.

When contacted through phone for the allowances of the security men he responded arrogantly spewing “you fools stop bothering me, pesa ya joho endeleeni kuimezea mate.”

When contacted through phone for the allowances of the security men he responded arrogantly spewing “you fools stop bothering me, pesa ya joho endeleeni kuimezea mate.”

The response really angered the young men and who have now vowed to deal with the chief of Staff if he fails to honor their deal. They’ve also sent a warning to Joho to be worried about Kyalo as he could be working secretly to undermine him. “Hatutakubali mtu yeyote akule jasho yetu, wacha aende na hiyo but tutapatana tena,” one of the guys was quoted saying. The security men have also vowed to never allow Governor joho campaign in Kitui again if that’s how him and his staff operate.

The response really angered the young men and who have now vowed to deal with the chief of Staff if he fails to honor their deal. They’ve also sent a warning to Joho to be worried about Kyalo as he could be working secretly to undermine him. “Hatutakubali mtu yeyote akule jasho yetu, wacha aende na hiyo but tutapatana tena,” one of the guys was quoted saying. The security men have also vowed to never allow Governor joho campaign in Kitui again if that’s how him and his staff operate.

What this fella has done is not anything new, incidences of people taking advantage of the unemployed youths heightens with the political high note seasons. Kyalo it’s shameful to look down upon people you free up with, it’s morally uncouth not to honor deals like this one is a new level of pettiness. These young men provided what you wanted, you have no otherwise but to pay then what they rightfully deserve. Sh100K is a petty cash that you shouldn’t jeopardise the brand of your employer, it doesn’t worth the tussle, this is bad painting to someone looking into a nationwide darling look as he sells the party. Pay up!

September 19, 2016
Governor Joho’s Political Rebranding

Mombasa Governor, Hassan Joho

By Nicholas Olambo
Ali Hassan Joho was first elected Mp for Kisauni in 2007 , he went on to serve as assistant minister in the grand coalition government then later rose to be the first governor of Mombasa County in 2013. Joho is increasing becoming very influential in ODM and national politics cementing his twin ambitions as the coast region’s kingpin and the presidency.
Joho’s efforts at the Malindi by elections emboledened his ambitions. In fact it is after the Malindi by elections that county 001’s governor got the courage to publicly declare his presidential quest in 2022. Malindi parliamentary seat fell vacant after President Uhuru Kenyatta appointed the then ODM Mp to the energy docket. President Kenyatta’s move was a ploy to penetrate into an area considered a Cord/ODM stronghold. Jubilee lost to ODM and with the kind of money that was spent in that by election, the jubilee coalition was sent back into the drawing board.
ODM candidate Willy Mtengo traunced jubilee’s Philip Charo. The win enchanced Joho and Kilifi governor’s stature at the coast as the party’s formidable assests. Joho was the chief campaigner and paymaster. He camped in Malindi for three weeks and after the victory he declared to carry on the momentum and take the ‘war’ to the doorsteps of the party rebels who were not with the people. The momentum is indeed on and the manner in which he organised the ODM party’s tenth birthday to counter jubilee’s party launch says it all. No one thought ODM event would be any big thing to talk. ‘ODM will be having a small bash at the Coast’ said the controversial MP, Moses Kuria.
Just a week after anniversay fete, Joho has planned another rally in Nairobi tomorrow in Mathare. ‘The party will hold roadshows before Mathare rally on September 18’ Joho said despite a looming battle as both ODM and Jubilee book meetings on the same ground on the same day. The idea to hold the rally in Mathare seems as a move by the party to campaign in areas where their members defected to join the recently launched Jubilee Party. Mathare Mp Stephen Kariuki who was elected on an ODM ticket is one of many Cord MPs who defected to JP.
Joho is taking the ‘war’ to the rebels’ doorsteps without mincing a word criticizing the Jubilee adminstration. He has been the loudest critic on historical injustices on land issues at the coast, most notably is the Waitiki land in Likoni. Joho has also been critical of the National government for not involving his county government whenever the President visits Mombasa.
When one may argue that we have equaly seen many young politicians who rise fast and fall. Lack of focus and ‘political hustle’ are major the attributes to fast rise and quick falls. We are living in an era where broke politicians are ‘bought’ on a daily basis, going against the will of their supporters and denting their political careers. Joho brags as being too expensive and cannot be ‘bought’ by anyone to join the wrong political camp.
He sits at the vantage point to succeed ODM Party leader Odinga. He is the deputy party leader very close to Mr Odinga enjoying love from every party’s strong hold. When he rode with Raila in the same car in Kisumu at the memory of anti-IEBC protest victims, Joho gracefully waved to the enthusiastic supporters receiving wild cheers. The manner in which he has played his cards so far places him among the top national politicians and a force to reckon with in post Uhuru era.

September 17, 2016