Raila and Kalonzo dumped me for Joho, Omar says as he ditches NASA

Former Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar

Former Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar has unleashed his harshest criticism of Opposition leader Raila Odinga and his running mate Kalonzo Musyoka.

Announcing his departure from the National Super Alliance (NASA) yesterday, Mr Omar accused Raila and Kalonzo of insincerity and being "ethnic chiefs".

"With a dime you will buy this leadership," he said.

Omar said that a Raila presidency with Hassan Joho as Mombasa governor would be equal to chaos.

"I spent too much time trying to please ethnic chiefs but now I have the courage to stand alone," Omar said on Monday.

He said he felt unwanted in NASA and promised to announce his next political move to his supporters.

Omar launched a scathing attack on Raila and Kalonzo and vowed not to support them in the October 17 repeat presidential election.

His loss

He blamed the two Opposition leaders for his loss to Mr Joho in the Mombasa governorship contest on August 8. He claimed Raila and Kalonzo supported Joho's candidacy and rigged the poll in his favour.

"I will not give him my vote because he (Raila) never supported me (in the governorship race) and neither did Kalonzo," Omar said, adding that he intended to challenge Joho's victory in court, and outside NASA.

"Why would I be there to be duped twice?" he posed. "I do not want to hang around with someone who does not want me."

But Joho has dismissed Omar's claims as "a tissue of lies emanating from a very bitter man who is blaming everyone but himself for his humiliating loss".

Through his spokesperson, Richard Chaacha, Joho accused Omar of attempting to litigate a petition against him in public forums instead of in court.

He argued that the former senator's recent conduct proved allegations that he was a Jubilee Party agent.

Omar, who resigned from his post as Wiper Democratic Movement Secretary General last week, claimed the two NASA principals executed a scheme to sabotage his governorship bid, adding that the August 8 race in Mombasa was massively rigged.

The former senator was in his element yesterday, accusing party officials of depicting him as a failure in the wake of the outcome of the August polls.

He said Wiper officials could not accuse him of failing to deliver seats for Wiper in Mombasa because the party had performed equally badly in its Ukambani strongholds.

"My party leader (Kalonzo) has (elected) Jubilee leaders right in his bedroom so how can I be accused of not delivering when I am the only candidate who funded other candidates?" Omar asked.

Lacking focus

He accused Kalonzo of lacking focus and ability to make decisions and claimed NASA condoned the August 5 violence at Mama Ngina grounds in Mombasa, where he was attacked by supporters allied to Joho.

He described Kalonzo as "meek" and "unfocused."

"You do not know what he stands for," he said.

He accused Raila of double-speak and hypocrisy, arguing that initially, the NASA presidential candidate had implied that massive electoral irregularities occurred in Mombasa on August 8, but went ahead to attend Joho's inauguration as governor after the elections.

Omar also accused Raila of promoting suspicion that he (Omar) was a Jubilee mole within the Opposition.

"Raila's politics of moles is a narrative to crush rivals and is based on a concept of poverty. Mombasa people should not accept this foolish politics."

He claimed that he and Raila were funded by the same businessmen in Mombasa.

He said he was vilified and linked to Deputy President William Ruto, Eurobond and Jubilee without just cause, adding that former Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto should not be blamed for defecting to Jubilee.

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