A WAR of words has emerged in Coast over the formation of a regional party ahead of the forthcoming 2017 polls with local MPs trading accusations and counter-accusations.
Ganze MP Peter Safari Shehe over the weekend came out strongly to dismiss those opposed to the idea as ‘moles of external political forces hell bent to seeing Coast disunity persist’.
Speaking at a public rally at Jaribuni Primary Scholl within his constituency, Shehe accused Kinango MP Gionzi Rai and former Matuga MP Chirau Mwakwere as political ‘puppets’ of ‘outsiders’.
“I want to take Rai and Mwakwere head on and tell them off over their remarks that Coast is not ready for a political party. They should blame themselves for failing to unity the residents after being in politics for long,” he said.
Rai who is presently Coast’s serving MP insists that this is not the right time to talk about a regional political party but strengthening the county governments for effective and better services.
“This is not the time we should be crisscrossing the region preaching about formation of our own party but rather how best we could deliver services to our people,” said the former Lands Assistant minister.
But Shehe who was elected on Federal Party of Kenya insisted that there was need for consensus among the legislators to chart the political destiny of the region in good time.
“You need to ignore the voice of people who failed to marshal us to an organized way of safeguarding our political destiny. This is the time we need to form a party to partner with other parties come 2017,” Shehe said.
Mwakwere who has been down but not out of politics at the weekend poured cold water on the idea saying the constitution does not provide for a regional or tribal party.
The sentiments of the former cabinet minister came barely a week after Rai dismissed the proponents of the party for Coast idea as political opportunists.
“It is quite interesting that some of those who are campaigning for the formation of a Coast party have also declared in ODM positions in the party’s February polls. So where is their seriousness in the issue?” wondered Rai at Ndohivyo Primary last week.
The debate that has been spearheaded by Shehe and Kilifi North MP Gideon Mung’aro has backing from cabinet secretaries Najib Balala, Kazungu Kambi, MPs Gunga Mwinga (Kaloleni), Kilifi governor Amason Kingi while nominated senator Agnes Zani has dismissed it.