Coast leaders to make key demands in DP Ruto visit

Deputy President William Ruto addresses Teso North locals at Koranya High School on July 20, 2018. He is planning to visit Kilifi County. PHOTO | CHARLES KIMANI | DPPS

What you need to know:

  • Kilifi North MP Owen Baya slammed opposition leader Raila Odinga for abandoning the region.
  • Ganze MP Teddy Mwambire said coast locals must now go after their interests, instead of waiting to be helped.

Coast leaders are expected to make some crucial demands to Deputy President William Ruto when he visits Kilifi County on Sunday.

Mr Ruto is expected to lead a fundraiser for the translation of the Bible into Giriama language at Karisa Maitha football pitch in Kilifi Town.

This will be Mr Ruto’s ninth visit to the region since the March 9 peace deal between President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga.

Some of the demands include appointing the residents to senior government positions and tackling the land problem.

Kilifi North MP Owen Baya will be the host.

"Kilifi North has many land problems and I have persistently asked the DP to visit and address this issue.

"We need our people to be empowered and given title deeds so that they can develop their lands," Mr Baya - who has declared his interest for the governorship post in 2022 - said in an interview.

RAILA ACCUSED

Last week the MP led a section of legislators in slamming opposition leader Raila Odinga for abandoning the region.

Mr Baya, a close ally of Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi, said Mr Odinga had continued to ignore the region in terms of bargaining for its interests.

Coast region has 1.7 million votes, most of it which went to the opposition, Nasa, in last year's General Election.

"The people recently appointed by the President are very close to Mr Odinga, which makes us to conclude that the handshake and the continuous relationship with Raila is that we are giving him an opportunity to have his people appointed to the government.

"That now tells us that coast is not part of the plan for ODM and Nasa in general," he added.

COAST PARTY

Ganze MP Teddy Mwambire said coast locals must now go after their interests, instead of waiting to be helped.

"The failure by the region to bag any appointment is a wake-up call for the region that we should not blindly support people whom we are yet to understand their mission...we should not make ourselves cheap for giving in and supporting people without clear guidelines," he said.

Similarly, Kilifi South MP Ken Chonga has also thrown barbs at Mr Ruto for failing to endorse locals for State jobs.

Mr Chonga, consequently, said the leaders will form their own party through which they will advance their interests.

The DP has set his desires on the 2022 presidential election, as has Ford-Kenya leader Moses Wetangula, Baringo Senator Gideon Moi and Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi.