Joho, Kingi put to task on political unity, development

Grassroots leaders at the Coast have questioned Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho and his Kilifi counterpart Amason Kingi’s ability to solve issues dogging the region.

At a meeting convened by Mr Joho on Wednesday last week, ward representatives from the six counties cited border and ethnic tensions, lack of unity and the failure to implement the idea of the region’s economic bloc as issues the two must deal with.

The Jumuiya ya Kaunti za Pwani (JKP) was mooted in 2014, but has never taken off because of disunity among leaders. It was meant to improve the livelihoods of the people.

The leaders challenged the two governors, who are widely seen as the most influential in the region, to resolve a boundary row between Kwale and Taita-Taveta counties.

SOLVE DISPUTE

 In addition, they asked that a dispute between Kilifi and Tana River counties over the multi-billion- shilling Galana-Kulalu Irrigation project be resolved.

Mr Kingi and Mr Joho were also put to task over what they had done to empower locals economically, foster unity, resolve land problems and end clan wars.

The meeting was attended by MCAs from Mombasa, Taita-Taveta, Kwale, Kilifi, Tana River and Lamu. Those who spoke to the Nation said the tension-packed meeting witnessed supremacy battles between Mr Joho’s and Mr Kingi’s supporters.

Mr Kingi is said to have called on leaders to humble themselves and involve everyone in resolving issues affecting people in the region.

He was annoyed by an attempt by some Kwale MPs to pay some MCAs not to attend the meeting. The MCAs, however, turned up in large numbers.

In total, 175 out of 206 MCAs attended the meeting.

DIVERGENT VIEWS

Mr Kingi said leaders with divergent views should not be left out in the quest for Coast unity and economic development.

“Unity will never be achieved if we leave some behind. Unless we address grievances raised by those opposed to this cause, then no unity will be found,” he said.

In an apparent reference to MPs who have declared support for Deputy President William Ruto, Mr Kingi said “they are part and parcel of the region” and should not be left out in the journey which both him and Mr Joho termed a consultative process.

“If someone is leaning towards a different direction, we should go to them and know what the problem could be so that we move forward as one,” he added.

Mr Joho said he had the political muscle to campaign in all parts of the country to win the presidency.

An MCA from Kwale had suggested that those who were not interested in Coast unity should be left out.

FOOD PROJECT

He made the remarks after revealing that there were attempts to stop them from attending the meeting.

Another MCA from Kilifi said differences had emerged over the Sh7 billion Galana-Kulalu Irrigation project that straddles Kilifi and Tana River counties.

Some MCAs from Tana River questioned the influence of the Kilifi county government on the food project. They claimed that like Kilifi, they had also passed a motion to take over the project.

They were bitter that the national government had allocated 400 acres for the Kilifi county government to run a model farm. “This must be addressed before the issue of unity comes out for discussion,” said the MCA.

But despite the tension and differences, the meeting ended with the leaders resolving to work together to improve the lives of the people.

RESOLVE LAND PROBLEMS

They agreed to push for the region to benefit more from the port of Mombasa.

In addition, they said they will use the truce between President Kenyatta and Nasa leader Raila Odinga to push for resolution of land problems at the Coast and revamp the economic bloc.

“We resolve to work towards Coast unity. In this regard, we further resolve to continue engaging broadly with all Coast politicians and other stakeholders on the way forward for the region,” the resolutions, read by MCA James Dawa of Kwale, said.

But the resolutions have already created a rift among the region’s MPs, pointing to another hurdle in the quest for unity.

Whereas Teddy Mwambire (Ganze), Michael Kingi (Magarini) and Mishi Mboko (Likoni) welcomed the resolutions, terming them a milestone, Kilifi North’s Owen Baya said the meeting did not yield much. He said the meeting was about glorying certain individuals.

MARSHAL SUPPORT

“I am convinced that the meeting was about individual’s abilities and ambitions and not about the Coast as a community. How does that one individual intend to solve the huge problems of the region?” he asked.

“A coastal presidency should encapsulate itself and market itself with an agenda of the region and not purely based on the individual’s ability to marshal support or call meetings and rallies,” Mr Baya said in a statement.

Those who attended the meeting, he added, were using the Coast economic bloc agenda to advance political interests.

“JKP, which was initiated in 2014, had the mandate of overseeing the region’s economic take-off. It failed because an individual wanted to use it to advance political ambitions. Strong politicians go out without hiding under economic bloc vehicles,” said Mr Baya.

Mr Mwambire said the resolutions are timely as the region looks towards the 2022 elections.