Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi has been ousted as the ODM chairperson of the county and replaced by Ganze Member of Parliament Teddy Mwambire.

In an interview, the party leader Raila Odinga has accused Kingi for betraying him and the party.

“Kingi is not the first politician to run away from ODM, neither is he is the first person to betray me,” said Odinga.

The county chief, who is serving a second and final term as governor has been at the forefront in pushing for a political suit that would bring on board politicians from the Coastal region in a bid to have a big voice in the forthcoming General Election.

Odinga says that Kingi has enjoyed his political success because of his affiliation to him adding he held his hand politically, including appointing him as the Minister for Fisheries during the grand coalition government.

“I was a popular political figure in Kilifi long before Kingi shot to political fame. Had I not appointed him as a minister, probably no one would have known about him politically,” said the ODM party leader.

The ODM party leader however says he has no personal problem with Kingi and has challenged him to leave since he is free to do so. This marks the first time Odinga has publicly criticised the governor who has strongly supported ODM in the last nine years.

Kingi’s close allies are said to have registered a new political party called Pamoja Alliance (PAA) on July 30, 2021.

In Kilifi County, Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa and her Kilifi North counterpart, Owen Baya, are some of the leaders who have since withdrawn from ODM and shifted their loyalty to Deputy President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Party.

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