Mombasa, KENYA: Aspirant Said Abdalla AKA Saido has come out to refute claims that chaos during the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) rally at Tononoka grounds in Mombasa were brought about by a clash between him and Mohammed Ali.
During the rally on Sunday, trouble began when former KTN’s investigative journalist Mohammed Ali headed towards Odinga on the podium as he prepared to address the gathering.
Saido is then alleged to have walked in the former journalist’s way and pushed him away as he tried to snatch the two microphones he had from him.
Speaking to Baraka FM on Monday Saido disputed that he clashed with Moha during the rally, arguing that it was Moha’s own doing that resulted to him being heckled.
“When I finished addressing the rally the microphone was given to other aspirants and Moha was the last one to be given but what surprised us is that after he finished addressing the crowd he wanted to take Raila to the podium and it looked like he wanted to endorse him in front of the people, but other aspirants told Raila to take his seat so that Moha can finish his speech, so everybody was insisting that he finishes addressing the crowd but he kept on insisting that he brings Raila to the podium resulting to people heckling him.” Said Saido.
Saido also disputed the fact that he is being favored for the Nyali MP seat due to his relations with ODM Deputy Party Leader, who is also Mombasa Governor, Ali Hassan Joho.
“There has been a lot of complaints regarding nominations in ODM but as of now 90% of the election body has been changed and new guidelines have been set on member registration. As an aspirant, you are required to register members on the party who will then vote for you during the nominations, so if somebody is not doing all that and yet he knows the guidelines, What do you expect? Whoever am related with does not matter because it’s not my fault that God put me in the same family with him, I will do my campaigns and follow all the party guidelines and compete fairly.” Remarked Saido.
He also refuted claims that his supporters booed the former journalist and pelted him with water bottles to prevent him from addressing the crowd.
He further said that he has no rivalry with Mohammed or any other aspirant in ODM, adding that these are all propaganda being brought about by rival party Jubilee.
He urged for unity whatever the outcome in the polls.
Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho was on Sunday forced to end the meeting prematurely; after people were forced to scamper for safety as supporters clashed in front of the Opposition leader throwing the forum into a frenzy.
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