The nomination of Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho as the Lands cabinet secretary-designate in Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party presidential candidate Raila Odinga ’s administration—should he win the August 9 polls—appears to have dimmed Tourism CS Najib Balala’s political star in Coast region.
Since President Mwai Kibaki’s administration, Mr Balala has always held executive positions in government, especially his usual appointments in the Tourism and Wildlife docket.
Other notable Coast politicians—such as governors Amason Kingi (Kilifi) and Salim Mvurya (Kwale)—have also taken leading roles in Deputy President William Ruto ’s Kenya Kwanza Alliance, leaving Mr Balala’s political fortunes in limbo.
In an interview in February, the CS said he had opted out of elective politics to focus on his ministerial duties.
“Sometimes too much politics clouds your deliverables. And people don’t eat politics. Sometimes you’ve to pull back and reflect and wait for the next turn. I’ll serve my term to the end of President Kenyatta’s tenure,” Mr Balala told Nation at the time.
Governor Joho’s proposed nomination to Cabinet points to his immense influence in Azimio and Mr Odinga’s political circles. By nominating the governor, Mr Odinga honoured a promise he made last September that Mr Joho and other Coast leaders will land plum jobs in his administration should he win the 2022 poll.
The proposed post puts the county boss in an interesting position as he will be charged with mobilising support in Coast region and directly answering to the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader.
“By making the announcements, Mr Odinga was rewarding ODM loyalists. It was a campaign strategy to show Coast people they had one of their own to look after their interests on land,” political analyst Macharia Munene said.
The retiring governor had expressed interest in running for President on an ODM ticket but shelved his ambition in favour of his party leader.
“I strongly believe that our only path, as Coast people, to State House is through Raila Odinga,” he said.
When Mr Odinga visited Ganda Ward in Coast last week, Mr Joho said the region’s leadership would push for more partnerships with the Azimio coalition to ensure the region benefits.
“We’ve invested in ODM with all we have and, when the time comes to make decisions for Coast people, we’ll be on the negotiating table,” Mr Joho said.
The allocation of the lucrative Lands docket is also seen as a departure from the “cash-strapped” Tourism and Wildlife portfolio Coast leaders have been getting in the last two elections.
Mr Odinga said the governor, as Lands boss, would help address historical injustices meted out on Coast residents in the past and resolve the issue of landlessness in the country.
Others from the region who have served in Lands are Darius Mbela, Gonzi Rai (assistant minister), Muhammad Swazuri (National Land Commission chairman) and Gideon Mung’aro (Chief Administrative Secretary).
The land issue has largely remained unresolved, as successive governments underplay it, and residents remain squatters despite leaders’ pledges to help them.
Mr Joho has questioned how Mr Kingi, who has been proposed for Senate Speaker in the Kenya Kwanza line-up, will help solve land problems: “How will being the Speaker help solve landlessness, youth unemployment and issues of the port and its infrastructure?”
There has also been a sustained push by Coast leaders to boost Mr Joho’s chances for the top seat in the coming years.
Those Mr Odinga has proposed for Cabinet posts include Agriculture CS Peter Munya, a senior figure in the Jubilee administration. He will retain his docket in the Azimio government.
Mr Munya shelved his Meru gubernatorial bid and has been campaigning for Mr Odinga in Mt Kenya region.
Prof Munene described Mr Munya as a great catch who will help improve Azimio’s figures in Mt Kenya East. He said that Azimio is supportive of the likes of Mr Joho and CS Munya, who genuinely back its quest to win power.
