Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho on Tuesday dismissed the recent move by a section of Coast Members of Parliament (MPs) to endorse Deputy President William Ruto for 2022 presidential bid.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, Mombasa County Communications Director Richard Chacha divulged: "The MPs only spoke at the heat of the moment."
He further stated that despite the turn of events, the governor's team believe that he still has a massive following from both the coastal leaders and the citizens.
[caption caption="File image of NASA leader Raila Odinga and Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho"]
[/caption]
Commenting on whether the move has in any way threatened Joho's 2022 political aspirations, Mr Chacha noted: " The governor is still eyeing the top seat.
"We still have our support base intact despite the utterances made on Sunday."
On Sunday, DP Ruto's 2022 presidential bid received a boost from five NASA leaders from the coastal region who declared they would support him.
Governor Granton Samboja, MPs Aisha Jumwa (Malindi), Jones Mlolwa (Voi), Ali Mbogo (Kisauni) and Danson Mwashako (Wundanyi) jointly declared that Ruto was best fit to serve the country after President Uhuru Kenyatta completed his term.
Additionally, Coast Parliamentary Group chairman Suleiman Dori asserted that the NASA leader had asked lawmakers in the region to shelve the campaign for secession and people's assemblies long before he met President Kenyatta at Harambee House on March 9.
“He had told us that we should support the agenda of the government and that is what we are doing. As a party we have to follow whatever our leader tells us to do,” Mr Dori affirmed to the Nation.
However, Voi's legislator distanced himself from the claims that they endorsed the deputy president.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, Mr Mlolwa exclaimed: "We did not endorse the deputy president. Besides, discussing 2022 is too early.
"We will support whoever our leader (Raila) tells us to. And you never know, maybe he might also be vying in those elections as well," Mlolwa expressed.
[caption caption="File image of Taita Taveta governor Granton Samboja and Voi MP Jones Mlolwa"]
[/caption]
