INFOTRAK Chief Executive Officer Angela Ambitho/FILE
BY KORIR JUMA,NAIROBI,27TH MARCH 2017-A survey contacted by research firm Infotrak has revealed that majority of Mombasa residents would prefer the current Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar to vie for re-election during the August 8 general elections.
The findings released on Monday indicated that Omar had an approval rating of 16.7 per cent, which is way above what those interested in the seat scored.
He was followed by Hamisi Mwaguya (1.9 per cent), Ramadhan Kajembe and Mohamed Abas at 1.7 per cent and Yasser Bajaber at 0.9 per cent.
Farus Rubeya got an approval rating of 0.8 per cent, Tendai Mtana 0.6 per cent, Mohamed Faki 0.5, Hishamu Mwidau 0.3 and Abdula Saalam 0.3 per cent.
Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar /FILE
But Omar is among aspirants who have declared bids to take on Governor Hassan Joho.
Infotrak managing director Angela Ambitho said: “Hassan’s popularity as a Senator has come down after he declared interest in the county’s top seat.”
Ambitho said 74.4 per cent did not know who they would vote for as senator if the elections were held today.
In the governor race, the survey found that Omar, who is Wiper secretary general, came a distant third with a 2.7 per cent approval rating.
Joho led the pack with 62.8 per cent followed by Suleiman Shabahl of Jubilee with an approval rating of 8.2 per cent.
A survey by Trends and Insights for Africa (TIFA) found that Joho was still the person to beat at the Coast and the preferred county chief.
TIFA reported that the Governor commands a 68 per cent following and that Tourism CS Najib Balala and governor aspirant Suleiman Shahbal follow at nine per cent each.
Then came Omar (six per cent) and Nyali MP Hezron Awiti (two per cent). Five per cent of those interviewed were undecided.
The survey, conducted between March 24 – 26, 2017, revealed that Awiti had 1.4 per cent support in the governor race.
According to the poll woman representative Mishi Mboko will retain her seat following an approval rating of 12.6 per cent.
She was followed by Hazel Katana (1.9 per cent), Mama Ashuu (1.5 per cent), Sadaf Deen (1.3 pr cent), Miraj Abdulahi (0.9 per cent), Afya Rama (0.9 per cent) and Saida Dumila (0.5 per cent).
The poll revealed that 80.3 percent were undecided in a contest that will determine Jubilee’s influence at Mombasa.
The party is likely to field Hazel. The deputy governor ditched ODM in favour of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee Party.
Three MPs in Mombasa will retain their seats if elections were held today. They are Changamwe’s Omar Mwinyi (64.2 per cent), Mvita’s Shariff Nassir (63.3 per cent) and Kisauni MP Rashid Bedzimba (55.3 per cent).
Likoni MP Masoudi Mwahima got an approval rating of 38.9 per cent. He is allied to Jubilee Party and might have to work harder to go back to Parliament as Coast is perceived as an Opposition stronghold.
Jomvu MP Badi Twalibu got a 31.6 per cent approval rating while his Nyali counterpart got 22.9 support.
The survey revealed that ODM was the most popular party with 43.8 per cent backing followed by Jubilee at 22.9 per cent and Wiper 2.4 per cent.
The National Super Alliance was backed by 48.2 per cent and Jubilee 22.6 per cent of those interviewed.
The survey’s sampling frame was designed to cover all the six sub-counties and 30 wards of Mombasa county.
