A Malindi woman is set to battle with men in the Malindi parliamentary race to take over from Aisha Jumwa, who is going for the county’s top seat.
Amina Mnyazi could be the next second woman Member of Parliament in Malindi if the voters agree to vote for her.
In 2017 Jumwa made history after becoming the first woman to win a parliamentary seat in Malindi constituency which had been dominated by men due to cultural believes that only men could lead.
This time the vocal legislator who quit the ODM party to join Deputy President William Ruto’s UDA party also wants to break another record of becoming the first female governor in Kilifi county.
On her part Mnyazi who comes from a wealthy family in Malindi lost the Kilifi Woman Representative Position after she sought the seat in a jubilee ticket.
She now moved to ODM and is seriously campaigning for party leader Raila Odinga’s bid for the presidency and herself as the Malindi Member of parliament.
Mnyazi hosted over 200 women from all over the constituency in an end-of-year party and announced that her competitors in ODM had earlier threatened her that the seat was already given to one candidate.
She said so far, she has met Raila four times and established that the ticket was intact and had not been given to any specific candidate.
The politician said Raila was a generous man and was very categorical that nominations would free and fair.
“As you know am vying for the Malindi parliamentary seat, there have been challenges, first it was about the party initially I never believed where to go some people told me to go to PAA, others said I join ODM but after my research, I found out that ODM was still strong in Malindi,” she said.
She said after making the political calculations on the current situation in the county and country at large she decided to go to ODM because that is where there is victory and where the future is.
Mnyazi said despite the threats that the ticket for ODM was already gone she decided to fight and know the truth and fight from within.
“When I started, I was at zero but as we speak today, I had breakfast with Baba (Raila) they said we would not reach him but now we are there,” he said.
She said even Raila now is aware of all the efforts she is doing in the constituency in terms of working for the people.
Mnyazi urged the residents of Malindi and Kilifi county at large to also vote overwhelmingly for Raila as he is the only presidential candidate who has great plans for the country.
“The current political situation has clearly shown Baba is the one who is going to be the president of Kenya I do not want to be far, last time I told you Uhuru will be president and he became, now I am telling you Raila will be president,” he said.
Also present during the ceremony were three Women Representative aspirants Esther Kache a former Kilifi town council chairperson, Witness Tsuma chairperson of Maendeleo ya Wanawake Kilifi county all of who are in ODM together with Josephine Bebora of Kanu.
On their part, Esther Kache and Witness Tsuma said they are in ODM and asked the Kilifi county residents to support Raila to ensure he becomes president in the 2021 General elections.
Josephine Bebora who also wants to be Women Rep in a KANU ticket also said she is in Azimio la Umoja ls Umoja movement and is hopeful that Raila will be president.