In a move to strengthen the ODM party in Mombasa, the party has appointed Mohamed Hamid to be its new Mombasa county chairman.

The position fell vacant following the demise of the then powerful ODM Mombasa chairman Mohamed Hatimy who succumbed to what is said to be covid-19 complications in October last year.

Until his demise, Hatimy served as a nominated MCA and the chair of the finance committee in the county assembly of Mombasa.

He was replaced in the Assembly by Julius Ngugi, a staunch ODM grass-root mobilizer whose loyalty to the party paid off after serving as the party’s Nyali sub-county treasurer.

The new chairman was unveiled on Thursday in a colorful event held at their Mombasa office in Ganjoni attended by Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir, Badi Twalib (Jomvu), Mishi Mboko (Likoni), Mombasa Women representative Asha Mohamed and the party secretary general Geofrey Busaka among a host of other party members and officials.

Speaking shortly after being officially welcomed at the party’s office, Hamid said that his priority will be to ensure that the party regains and continues to enjoy political dominance in the county.

“Today I have held a meeting with party officials from all the sub-counties, we have a big task ahead of us to ensure that we regain our popularity in the county, plans are already underway to ensure that Mombasa remains an ODM zone,” said Hamid.

Jomvu MP Badi Twalib congratulated the new chairman reiterating that the party was intact that they were determined to paint Mombasa orange.

He further called out business man cum-politician Suleiman Shahbal to respect the party organs and structures adding that ODM as a party was democratic and was ready to accommodate anyone who wants to join.

“We will never be detracted by people who want to gain access to the party through the backdoor, the party has structures that must be respected, ODM is a party of democracy and welcomes everyone who wants to join the party and work for the people,” said Twalib.

Badi’s remarks follows what Shahbal said early this week when he attended a fundraiser event for the late mzee Manoah Obat an adamant ODM supporter in Mombasa, he hinted at opening parallel ODM offices in Mombasa.

The party is expected to host 600 delegates from the coast for a meeting at Wild Waters this Saturday to strategize on how to popularize the party across the region. Party leader Raila Odinga is expected to grace the meeting.

“Our vision is to ensure that the ideals of the people of Kenya are met through ODM, the plans are to recapture what was initially ours,” said Mvita legislature Abdulswamad Nassir.

The legislature stated that ODM won the previous general elections but were stolen, adding that if Raila was in power now, the rising cost of living and issues of historical injustices would be a thing of the past.

 “In the instance of rising fuel prices, the government has totally got it wrong, prices have to go down,” said Nassir.