A woman at an ODM meeting in Kwale openly challenged Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho over the party’s cooperation with President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance, saying residents did not want political decisions imposed on them.
Joho was speaking at Vingujini Grounds alongside Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir when the woman urged him to listen to concerns from the grassroots.
“CS, you are our son, and we love you. You are our kingpin here in Kwale and in the coastal region. But we want you to hear us. We do not want to be told to support broad-based government,” she said.
She questioned whether the arrangement between ODM and UDA was benefiting local supporters.
She referred to a recent broad-based government meeting in Kwale and claimed some ODM supporters had been excluded.
“Local ODM supporters were not allowed there. We were chased away. Where is the cooperation there?” she asked
The woman also called on Joho to listen to women and other grassroots voters, saying they should have a say in decisions that could shape the region’s political future.
She was particularly concerned about the 2027 governor’s race in Kwale.
“We do not want outside interference. We want to pick our governor. Do not force people on us. We want to decide who the next governor will be,” she said.
She asked what would happen if ODM and UDA eventually agreed that ODM should not field a candidate for governor in Kwale.
“If the broad-based arrangement decides that ODM will not field a governor in Kwale, where will that leave us?” she asked.
The remarks appeared to highlight tensions within the broad-based political arrangement, particularly at the grassroots level, where local leaders and supporters may have different views about how the partnership should shape the 2027 elections.
The woman also warned that failing to give ODM supporters a political voice in Kwale could weaken the party’s influence in the county.
“If that happens, who recognises you, Joho? There will be no voice of ODM from Kwale,” she said.
She then asked Joho to take the concerns directly to President Ruto.
“We are sending you to President William Ruto. If the Head of State wants our votes, let him call us. We do not want people to be imposed on us,” she said.
Joho and Nassir did not, in the remarks reported from the meeting, publicly respond to the woman’s concerns.
The exchange offered a glimpse into the political questions facing ODM in the Coast region as parties position themselves ahead of the 2027 General Election.
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