United Democratic Alliance party officials in Mombasa have termed the installation of Mvita Member of Parliament Abdulswamand Nassir to run for governor through the ODM party ticket as a deliberate plot to stifle the region economically.

Led by former Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar, the leaders said the region has suffered serious underdevelopment under the leadership of ODM and thus, residents ought to reject political projects.

“There is a deliberate plot to install leadership that will continue to stifle the economy of Mombasa, and it is evident by the transfer of port operations to Naivasha. Both President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga have no value for the needs of the Mombasa people at heart and that’s why they are installing a project for us to protect themselves economically,” Omar claimed.

The UDA governor aspirant who spoke in Nyali on Sunday during a meeting with UDA party aspirants asked Mombasa residents not to gamble with ODM leadership again, saying it has miserably failed during Governor Hassan Joho’s tenure.

“We ask Mombasa people to listen to us, we know your challenges, we know your plight, let’s join hands and reject political projects who just want to rule us. They have destroyed our economy and we must change the leadership,” Omar asserted.

By fronting Nassir as the ODM governor candidate, Omar claims that it is a means by Governor Joho to continue ruling Mombasa Couty through back door by remotely controlling Nassir at the expense of development in the county.

He also took an issue with the move by ODM to ask businessman Sulieman Shahbal to drop his bid for governor in favour of Nassir. According to him, the move had nothing to do with the leadership of the people of Mombasa.

Omar said Shahbal’s candidature would have heightened the economic recovery narrative agenda for Mombasa but his withdrawal means he has betrayed the Mombasa people who are crying out for economic recovery.

Omar, therefore, promised to topple the ODM leadership in the Coastal county and deliver a development-centred leadership.

“If the contest (governor race) was going to be against Shahbal, I expected an issue-based campaign, especially on economic policies because we knew he had a straight mind that would have brought a top-notch debate on economic policies,” claimed Omar.

At the same time, Omar also slammed ODM leader Raila Odinga for failing to agitate for the restoration of the Coastal economy after he entered into a handshake with President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The former senator also dismissed former Nairobi governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko as an intruder who will suffer a humiliating defeat should he attempt to contest for the Mombasa governor seat.

“We will beat him, he is a village cock that does not crow in the city, so let our people not worry because we are ready for the job, “said Omar in reference to a plan by Sonko to vie for Mombasa governor.

On his part, Mombasa county UDA organizing Secretary Karisa Nzai urged Mombasa residents to uniformly elect UDA leadership from the position of governor, Member of Parliament and member of the Mombasa county assembly.

“We want to warn our opponents to brace for a bruising battle in Mombasa because UDA is determined to take all seats. We are ready to revive our economy,” Nzai said.