Lobbying for a strong Coast party have increased after Kadu Asili's Kaloleni MP Gunga Mwinga was picked the Coast Parliamentary Group chair.
He was elected on Wednesday by 19 out of 33 Coast MPs.
Leading the lobbying is Coast People's Forum founder Naomi Cidi, who has said Kilifi North MP Gideon Mung'aro has himself to blame for his ouster as the CPG chair.
Already, emissaries, including Kaya elders, have been identified to convince Coast-based political parties, including Shirikisho Party of Kenya, Republican Congress and Unity Party of Kenya to form one strong party.
Mwinga’s Kadu-Asili is being fronted as the party of choice.
The belief is that since Gunga is the CPG chairman, he will easily convince Coast MPs to support a local party.
However, Mwinga is in a dilemma.
Pressure is already mounting on him from Kaya elders, Coast-based political activists and civil society to ensure their dream of a Coast-based party is realised.
“He should now see to is that Shirikisho, FPK, RC, and all the Coast parties join hands with Kadu-Asili and then call that big coalition to play so that we head into 2017with a big voice,” Cidi said.
However, Mwinga is taking it slow.
“My priority is to unite all Coast leaders and residents regardless of political affiliation,” he told the Star on the phone.
He said land, security, education and poverty are among the priorities he wants to address.
Mijikenda community leader and self-declared Mijikenda king Vincent Mwachiro said they will push Mwinga to ensure the Dabaso dream is achieved.
The Dabaso dream is for a unifying Coast-based party to be used as the Coast region’s mouth piece and bargaining chip.
“The elders will continue with the agenda of the Coast political parties,” he said.
Ganze MP Peter Shehe said, however, the formation of the party is long overdue. He said though they are from different parties, their main agenda is to unite the Coast.
“What we need is unity of the both the leaders and residents of Coast,” the Federal Party of Kenya MP said.
Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir said despite having different political ideologies, Coast MPs are united in purpose.
“There are more factors unite us than those that divide us,” said Nassir.