Mombasa, Kenya: County Jubilee Alliance Party (JAP) officials have pleaded for unity between the founder membership and defectors in order to fight the strong CORD wave in the region.

JAP co-ordinator Farid Swaleh and interim Chairman Ali Mwatsahu warned that they must unite if they are to beat CORD in the 2017 general election.

Speaking at the Tononoka Social Hall at a function to celebrate his appointment as a director at the Kenya National Shipping Line (KNSL), Mr Swaleh dissociated himself with media reports that he harboured a personal grudge against the JAP interim officials.

"I wish to challenge the JAP fraternity to up their game ahead of the 2017 elections so that we can oust the Opposition in Mombasa County. Without unity, we are bound to fail," he said.

Mr Mwatsahu said they were currently strengthening JAP before they could conduct party elections adding that they want to involve all tribes in the county.

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"We need time to build up JAP and make it inclusive to all tribes. We want genuine membership and not those with intentions to destroy it. We are recruiting members before conducting our elections," Mwatsahu explained.

Also present was another JAP official and politician Sureya Hersi who was recently appointed a director at the Coast Water Services Board.

Leadership wrangles have hit JAP in the county after businessman and Wiper Democratic Movement gubernatorial candidate Suleiman Shahbal and former Mombasa ODM Chairman Ramadhan Kajembe defected to the party.

Former Changamwe Wiper Parliamentary candidate Philip Ndolo also defected to JAP and has posed a threat to the interim officials in the struggle for leadership.

Mr Shahbal and his team of CORD defectors are reported to have been given the green-light to spearhead JAP activities in the county when they met President Uhuru Kenyatta during his tour of the Coast in August, which heightened rivalry with the interim officials.

Swaleh extended an olive branch to TNA branch officials to work under the umbrella of JAP.