This archive report was first published on 12 July 2021.
July 12, 2021
Jimmy Kahindi Kadhuwa, the two-term Speaker of the Kilifi County Assembly, has emerged as a dark horse in the gubernatorial race, leaving MPs Aisha Jumwa and Owen Baya scrambling to contain his rising popularity.
According to sources, the UDA camp has deployed a battery of bloggers to curtail Jimmy's fast-rising political popularity, resorting to online abuse and running Senate Speaker position propaganda.
However, their efforts have backfired, with Kilifi social media pages, groups, and political nooks and crannies abuzz with breaking news of Jimmy's meteoric rise.
At a recent funeral in Chasimba, Aisha Jumwa attempted to persuade Jimmy to run for the Senate position, while Owen Baya made a similar appeal at a funeral in Mwanamwinga Kinarani.
But Jimmy's strategic abilities, which saw him re-elected to the Assembly chambers in 2017, have left Aisha's camp in total confusion.
As the gubernatorial race heats up, Aisha and Owen's camp is facing a crisis of confidence, with some speculating that Aisha may pull out of the race to defend her Malindi Parliamentary seat or convince Jimmy to step down with the enticement of the Senate position.
