Kilifi North MP Gideon Mung’aro is facing a delicate balance between maintaining his role as Coast political kingpin and ensuring he becomes Kilifi governor next year.
He is the most popular politician among the populous Mijikenda community and is practically a household name in the nine-tribe ethnic group that boasts hundreds of thousands of voters. But Mung’aro could face a backlash if he does not carefully pick the party with which he will attempt to dislodge Governor Amason Kingi.
Ganze MP Peter Shehe yesterday said Mung’aro has remained silent, even though MPs allied to him have agreed to form or join a Coast party and make an alliance with Jubilee. “We are ready to have Mung’aro lead us but on condition he does it within a Coast party so we have a strong bargaining position. We are awaiting his word,” he said.
join Jubilee
Daniel Mwaringa, a senior media lecturer at the Technical University of Mombasa, said Mung’aro should ally himself with the Jubilee coalition, a position supported by Kisauni politician Nyonga wa Makemba.
“Mung’aro should play a lead role through either rooting for Jubilee or marshalling coastals to a local party and have a post-election pact with Jubilee. However, this requires thorough groundwork to establish the wishes of the majority,” Mwaringa said.
Mung’aro, who is leading 15 MPs, enjoys unlimited access to President Uhuru Kenyatta, owing to their two decades-long friendship. “It is a fact that Mung’aro is popular but he needs to convert this into political command. Let him not work alone,” Mombasa politician Maur Bwanamaka said. He urged the MP to marshal residents to one direction.
