The Mombasa Republican Council will start recruiting new members in the six counties in Coast ahead of the general election starting next month.
This as the Court of Appeal ruled that another secessionist movement from the region previously denied registration by the government be registered. The court, sitting in Malindi, directed that the government registers the Coast Peoples Democratic Movement.
MRC spokesman Richard Lewa said the group was strategising on new ways of registering as many numbers of people to advocate for their rights.
“We have kicked off registration of new members. We,therefore, urge anyone willing to join us to come out and be registered,” Lewa said.
The registration starts barely a month after the High Court lifted orders banning the movement.
The orders made MRC demand talks with the government concerning alleged historical injustices against the Coast region.
It accuses the state of marginalising the region.
Court of Appeal judges Daniel Musinga,Patrick Kiage, Jamilla Mohamed, Kathurima M’noti and William Ouko ruled the High Court was right in lifting the notice banning the movement.
They further argued that every Kenyan has a right to demand secession if deemed the right course of action.
The MRC spokesman did not disclose areas where the registration will take place due to security concerns.
He said that during the registration exercise, former members of will have to renew their membership according to the MRC constitution, and laws, while any new member will be required to pay Sh1,000 registration fee.
He said that they were planning to open branch offices in the six counties before the registration commences.
Lewa said the current chairman, Omar Mwamnuadzi, has remained as the “President” with other 32 “cabinet officials” from whom one will be elected as Mwanuadzi’s assistant.
He has, however, been missing from the limelight with some people saying he is on a recruitment mission.
In July, Court of Appeal judges ruled that the Registrar of Societies had received the application for the registration of the CPDM.
The court pointed out that the Registrar being the first respondent in the matter,had been aware of that application from the date the petition in the High court was served.
The court of appeal sitting in Malindi issued orders to the registrar of societies to register the movement in accordance with the law.
The judges said that the Registrar failed to consider and make a decision on the petitioner’s right to fair administrative action as guaranteed by section 47 of the constitution
“Ultimately, we find that this appeal is meritorious and we accordingly allow it. We, therefore, set aside the order of the High court dated March 18, 2015 dismissing the petition. We substitute an order to the first respondent to hear and determine the application for registration,” the judges ruled.
Morris Maro, the first appellant and the executive chairman of the movement had moved to the Court of Appeal after he was aggrieved by High court Judge Matthews Emekule’s ruling.
Judge Emukule had dismissed the petition which he had sought an order to compel the Registrar to register the movement.
He dismissed the application on the grounds that the Registrar had denied having received the petitioner’s application and that such application would nevertheless be declined.