MSAMBWENI

HON. OMAR ZONGA, MP (ODM)


Immediate former MP: Hon. Abdalla Ngozi. Other politicians who have emerged from the constituency include the long term MP and Assistant minister Hon. Kassim Bakari Mwamzandi. History was also made in this constituency by being the first one to elect first woman, and first Muslim woman to the National Assembly. Hon. Ms. Marere Warapayu Wamachai was eventually appointed to assistant ministerial position and served in three separate ministries.

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PRE-2008 GENERAL ELECTION ANALYSIS

Sugar politics likely to dominate elections in Msambweni

Story by JUMA NAMLOLA
DAILY NATION
Publication Date: 4/24/2007
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Sugar politics are likely to dominate the campaigns in Msambweni, with the fate of the collapsed Ramisi Sugar factory taking centre-stage. Other issues will include the resettlement of farmers from the Nguluku/Maumba locations. The farmers are being moved to pave the way for the titanium mining project by Canadian company Tiomin Inc.Sitting MP Abdallah Juma Ngozi has been urging farmers to occupy farms abandoned by Ramisi factory. Before his death in 2003, then Vice President Michael Wamalwa had announced a plan to visit the defunct factory and find ways of reviving it.Revive the factoryPresident Kibaki has occasionally stated that an investor would be identified to revive the factory.

However, this will not be possible if the adjacent sugar cane farms are given to 400 families evicted from Nguluku and Maumba areas.As the sitting MP, and one who is pro-Government, Mr Ngozi will be under a great pressure to explain why so many promises on the factory have been broken.He has been going round the vast constituency — with 71,817 registered voters — praising Narc-Kenya. However, he has been coy on the party he will seek nomination on.The former senior manager with Kenya Ports Authority is facing an uphill task defending the seat he narrowly won as a newcomer in 2002 on Narc.

He beat his village-mate, Kanu's Yusuf Hassan M'bwana, and former MPs Marere wa Mwachai (Social Democratic Party) and Mr Kassim Bakari Mwamzandi (Ford People).Mr M'bwana, a former Vanga councillor, is said to be the strongest challenger in this year's polls. He is said to be giving Mr Ngozi sleepless nights, especially with speculation that he will seek Narc Kenya ticket.Vanga seawallThe MP could take credit for the Government's construction of a Sh60 million seawall at Vanga and supply of electricity to the small fishing village.But his opponents are digging into his weak points, like the utilisation of the constituency development fund. Apart from a new girls secondary school in Vanga, Mr Ngozi's rivals say nothing much has been achieved through CDF. Major problems not tacked, they say, include lack of piped water and medical facilities. Schools in the constituency lack desks and enough classrooms.One of the losing candidates in 2002, Mr Kassim Choka, has strongly spoken out against what he terms wrong use of the CDF to benefit only a few areas. Mr Choka was fourth in the last elections on a Safina ticket, and was also fourth in 1997 on a National Development Party ticket.

He is now eyeing the ODM Kenya nomination, alongside two former MPs, Mr Mwamzadi and Ms Mwachai, as well as Mr Kassim Abdallah Juma.Veteran former MP Mwamzandi could use his position as the spokesman of farmers to make a comeback. The longest serving MP since the constituency was known as Kwale East, Mr Mwamzadi served an unbroken stretch from independence in 1963 to 1983.He then lost to the late Ali Masoud Mwakileo. He made a comeback in 1988, and retained the seat on a Ford Kenya ticket after the return of plural politics in 1992. He lost to Kanu's Ms Mwachai in 1997. His task as he aims for the ODM Kenya ticket will be to convince voters that he has something fresh to offer.Another former MP, Ms Mwachai, made history by being the first woman from Coast Province to be elected to Parliament (in 1997). The former secondary school teacher rose to the position of an assistant minister, but failed to make much impact.

She lasted just one term.Also in the race is Shirikisho Party of Kenya national organising secretary Kassim Abdalla Juma.He enters the race as a perennial contender over more than two decades with unsuccessfully bids in 1983 to 1997. He stayed away in 2002. Mr Juma, who hails from a tiny community on Wasini Island, believes he still has a chance.His prospects would be good if he could win the ticket of a major party, but there is also fierce competition for the ODM Kenya nomination.All in all, it looks like Msambweni will be a straight fight between Nark Kenya and ODM Kenya.

Circumstances could change dramatically, however, depending on which aspirant gets which party's ticket.