Msambweni Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) candidate in the recently concluded by-election Omar Boga has rubbished reports that his association with Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan joho negatively impacted his campaigns and cost him the seat.
According to Boga, Joho influenced his campaigns positively, adding that several opinion polls conducted before the election indicated that Joho was the top politician among those who were believed to have influence on the winner of the mini poll.
Boga further noted that as his chief campaigner, Joho helped him mobilise resources unlike his first stab in 017 where he did not have adequate resources to challenge the incumbent.
"When you lose, there are all manner of reasons and these are just perceptions. In the 2017 General Election, I had no resources, but this time Governor Joho and the party did their best to ensure I won the seat," he said as quoted by a local daily.
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While conceding defeat, Boga claimed that the election was marred with voter bribery, adding that voters in his stronghold were bribed, while others were issued with bursaries a few days to the election.
“During the election day, we apprehended 12 people who were assigned by our opponents to bribe voters. We have evidence that the mini-poll was rigged but we did not want to go to court because of the long court process.
“During the Covid-19, parents have been burdened and bursaries are so dear to our people. But more so they organised residents at Jogoo and other areas in my strongholds issuing bursary forms. As the people filled the forms, they were instructed to vote for my opponent," he claimed.
He vowed to support the youth in seeking employment and also empowering women with capital to start small businesses in the area.
