Shakeel Shabbir walks a tight rope as his Kolwa support base is targeted

Kisumu East MP Shakeel Shabir. [Collins Oduor, Standard]

For three consecutive terms, Shakeel Shabbir has defied racial and cultural barriers to cement his name among the greats of Kisumu East, always winning with clear margins.

In the political battle he faced in 2017, Mr Shabbir defied party odds and won the seat as an independent candidate in an area where the ODM party enjoys significant support.

With less than a month to the next General Election, Mr Shabbir has been pushed into familiar territory again, as two major clans – Kajulu and Kolwa – gang up to unseat him.