Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho and his Kilifi counterpart Amason Kingi have vowed to work together on mission to unite the coast region with the aim of forming one political party to push for the region’s agenda ahead of the 2022 elections.
The two leaders held a meeting on Wednesday with 175 MCA out of 206 MCAs attending the meeting which is seen as a way of locking out Deputy President William Ruto and other presidential hopefuls from campaigning at the coast.
The leaders are to further use the President Uhuru Kenyatta and Nasa leader Raila Odinga political truce to push for resolution of land problems at the coast, unite locals and revamp the Jumuiya Ya Kaunti za Pwani (coastal counties economic bloc).
Both leaders who have shown interest to run for the highest office in Kenya met the grassroots leaders at Pride Inn Flamingo Beach Resort. The ward representatives said the region needs to be in the national politics negotiating table, adding that locals will no longer be just followers.
According to MCA James Dawa from Kwale County, “We resolve to work towards attainment of coast unity. In this regard, we further resolved to continue engaging broadly with all coast politicians and other coast stakeholders on the way forward for coast region,” the resolutions, read by Puma MCA James Dawa from Kwale County, said. The deliberations were dubbed: “Pwani Kwanza Resolutions.”
The unity meeting came as the two leaders seemed to have resolved their differences which originated since Uhuru-Raila hand-shake before being re-united by Mr Odinga last week.
Mr Kingi had been vouching for formation of a party to use to vie for the presidency while Mr Joho has been keen on riding on ODM’s huge support countrywide.
Mr Kingi, who met Coast MPs in Kilifi two weeks ago, had also expressed willingness of teaming up with Mr Ruto while Mr Joho vowed to work with the DP’s foes to hinder his ambitions.
Other leaders seeking coast votes are Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi, Ford-Kenya’s Moses Wetang’ula, Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua and Baringo Senator Gideon Moi.
But yesterday, the MCAs, Mr Joho and Mr Kingi resolved that a meeting of all governors, senators, MPs and MCAs from the coast is slated for September 7 in Kwale to be hosted by Governor Salim Mvurya to deliberate on the region’s politi-cal direction.
According to Governor Joho at the meeting said,“We are focused to ensure that we are united as a region and we will take a politi-cal decision as a region as we approach 2022 but, for now, our main aim is to consolidate the region and ensure we address matters that will bring economic prosperity.”
Governor Kingi, also expressed commitment in uniting coast residents, saying, “What we are involved in is a process and we will get to decide on the formation of the party after getting views from our people.”
He further added saying, “We should not lie to ourselves that 2022 is far. How we approach the election year will be determined by how united we are.”
Mr Joho said it was time for the region to use President Kenyatta and Mr Odinga’s camaraderie to push for their interests.
“This time this region will be different. We have a unique opportunity. Raila and Uhuru have come together with an agenda of building bridges where there is no 2022 agenda. We must be in that conversation,” he said.
In an apparent reference to some MPs from the region who have vowed to sup-port Deputy President William Ruto, Mr Joho: “Sometimes I ask myself when a leader forgets that he represents the people. One should look at his people when speaking and know what their problems are. They said that the MCAs will not turn up and here they are now.”
Mr Joho noted that the Jumuiya ya Kaunti za Pwani, an economic bloc bringing together six coastal counties, remained a pipe dream as a result of divisions among leaders.