Jubilee leaders in Mombasa want Kamba elders in the county to curse Governor Hassan Joho for "defiling" the Akamba handicraft Industry and disrespecting the Jubilee government.
Scramble for the estimated 54,000 Kamba votes in Mombasa has intensified.
The leaders, who had lunch at State House, Nairobi, on Monday after the Jamhuri Day fete at the Nyayo Stadium, have agreed to consult Kamba elders (Atumia a Thome), who will perform a "Kithitu" ceremony.
The ceremony is usually done to cleanse a place deemed to have been defiled and also puts a curse on the defiler.
On Monday, Joho went to the Akamba Handicraft Industry in Changamwe and said President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto are doing little to help the industry.
Joho and the Jubilee side are fighting to have the Kambas living in Mombasa on their side.
The community has the second highest number of voters after the Mijikendas.
The leaders were led to State House by Coast regional commissioner Nelson Marwa. They included Philip Ndolo, Daniel Muange, Ramadhan Kajembe and Crispus Waithaka.
Muange said they are in communication with Atumia ma Thome Mombasa chairmain Francis Kithuku to perform the ceremony.
“If Joho continues like this, we as the Kamba community will curse him,” said Muange, who is aspiring to be Changamwe MP.
Kithuku told the Star yesterday they would meet at 4pm over the matter.
“We have a meeting of all the elders from all communities living in Mombasa to discuss matters touching on peace. After that we will meet as Atumia ma Thome on Muange's request,” he said.
However, Ndolo, who is the community leader in Mombasa, cautioned against rushing into administering "Kithitu".
“It is a powerful tool only applied when all other dispute resolution mechanisms have failed. It is a last resort and can wipe out an entire generation. I would not advise it now,” Ndolo told the Star on the phone.
Muange said Joho has been undermining the Jubilee government and leading an onslaught against it at the Akamba Handicraft Industry was hypocritical.
“In October, Uhuru gave us Sh3 million and promised Sh6 million more. Ruto gave us Sh2 million in November. What has Joho given us?” he said.
His sentiments were echoed by Waithaka, the Gema community Mombasa chairman.
“We support the Kamba community. Let them perform the ‘Kithitu’. We would have done the same,” he said.
Joho cautioned the Kamba community against being duped into supporting Jubilee government.
He said Sh5 million is too little, considering the massive wealth the Jubilee government has.
“The Mombasa government will continue to support the handicraft industry, including sourcing for international markets to improve the traders' earnings,” Joho said.
He said the county will support the refurbishment of the market to reputable standards to improve the business environment.
“My government has further recommended to the Kenya Tourism Fund that the centre be given Sh10 million to renovate a section of the market,” Joho said.