Senators from Coast region have formed their own outfit – the Coast Senate Group.
The group was formed a few weeks before Kilifi North MP Gideon Mung'aro was removed as Coast Parliamentary Group chairman.
The senators said they were not happy with Mung'aro's stewardship, accusing him of cutting them off from matters affecting the region.
The senators' group comprises nine members, with Taita Taveta's Dan Mwazo as chairman and Mombasa's Hassan Omar secretary.
Others are Lamu’s Abu Chiaba, Tana River’s Hassan Bule, Stewart Madzayo of Kilifi, Juma Boy of Kwale and nominated senators Agnes Zani and Emma Mbura and Mshenga Mvita.
They are now set to meet the CPG members to iron out some issues it has been facing.
The recent election of Kaloleni MP Gunga Mwinga as CPG chairman has caused a split within the group, with Mung’aro, who has been supporting Jubilee, saying he does not recognise the new leadership.
Munga’ro’s woes started when he was stripped of the minority chief whip position by Cord then unceremoniously voted out as the CPG chairman and the loss by Jubilee candidate Philip Charo in the March 7 Malindi by-election.
Omar yesterday told the Star that over the years, it was becoming challenging for senators to fit into the CPG system due to "leadership issues".
He said the group aims to unite the senators and provide oversight over the county accountability funds.
“The problem is we are perceived in our counties as always out to fight, since some of us have expressed intentions of running for governor, such as Mwazo and myself. But that is not the case,” Omar said.He has been criticising Joho over the county's management.
So far, Omar, Nyali MP Hezron Awiti and politician Suleiman Shahbal, all from Wiper, have declared their interests for the seat.
Mwazo will challenge Taita Taveta Governor John Mruttu.
Omar said the senators' group will travel to all counties and explain the model, its mandate and roll out its programmes.
He said the CSG’s mandate is different from the CPG's and they engage differently, with "unique characteristics".
“We have unique characteristics as senators in terms of our mandate, challenges, numerical strengths and how we deal with our politics is fairly different,” Omar said.
He said the group is beyond party issues, as it consists of senators from across the political divide.
“We shall however have so many points of convergence with the CPG in helping them rise beyond certain politics and focus on development,” Omar said.
He said the group has utmost faith in CPG chairman Mwinga, saying he will propel the group towards the right direction.