Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi stepped up the push for a Coast political formation by meeting leaders of four parties, as his Mombasa counterpart Hassan Joho was accused of undermining the cause.
And it emerged that the region’s six governors resolved, following a recent meeting in Taita Taveta, that each convenes forums with local leaders to persuade them to embrace the vision of a coastal political formation.
But Mr Joho, who has declared his intention to seek the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party’s ticket to vie for the presidency, has come under fire with critics accusing him of not being committed to the unity cause.
Following a meeting last Saturday with all the 54 Kilifi County assembly members (MCAs) and their Speaker Jimmy Kahindi, Mr Kingi told off some Coast politicians who were declaring that they will not abandon ODM.
“Today if I stand here and say I invested so much in ODM and therefore I am not willing to ditch the party for Coast unity, Mvurya will also declare the same on Jubilee, Samboja the same on Wiper, and the same, too, for Twaha in Lamu,” Kingi said He was referring to governors Granton Samboja (Taita Taveta), Salim Mvurya (Kwale), Fahim Twaha (Lamu) and Tana River’s Dhadho Godhana. Only Mvurya and Twaha were absent from the February 10 meeting hosted by Samboja but they had sent their apologies.
“How then are we supposed to move forward to achieve the Coast unity? In fact, if there are counties that invested so heavily in ODM, Kilifi stands to be counted,” Kingi added.
And, following last Tuesday’s meeting with officials of Kadu-Asili, Shirikisho Party of Kenya, Umoja Summit Political Party of Kenya and Devolution Party of Kenya, one of the party leaders also accused Mr Joho of undermining their cause.
Ms Naomi Cidi, the founder and secretary general of Umoja Summit Political Party of Kenya, said the four parties backed Mr Kingi’s plan to unite the region but criticised Joho. She explained that the plan is to have the parties form a coalition with a view to field a presidential candidate in next year’s General Election.
“We shall then announce the flag-bearer but it won’t be (Mr) Joho because he is dividing the region by staying in ODM despite a resolution to move as a region,” Ms Cidi said. Mr Kingi confirmed the meeting with the leaders of the four parties, saying they were making good progress.
Last week, during a rally in Lamu snubbed by the other five governors, Mr Joho said the region has communities from all over the country and there is need to unite them to help him go for the top seat through ODM.
Mr Joho also warned leaders against profiling residents in terms of religion, gender and tribe, saying it could undermine their quest for Coast unity.
Mr Godhana last Wednesday confirmed that, during the Taita Taveta meeting, the six governors resolved to unite behind one political formation.
“We did not want Kieleweke and Tangatanga camps to take advantage of our people and confuse them politically including matters related to BBI,” Mr Godhana said.
Mr Godhana said they are yet to hold a second meeting but added “the resolution, however, does not prevent one from practicing his democratic right in future.”
Kilifi MCAs last week declared that they would ditch ODM for a Coast-based party and coalition to be formed by the region’s governors ahead of next year’s elections.
According to Mr Kingi, the six governors were to deliberate the Taita Taveta resolutions with MCAs in their respective counties before holding another bigger meeting to declare their stand.
