Coast leaders will form their own political party to push for their people's development agenda.
Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi has also announced that the region will go it alone in the 2022 General Election.
Speaking on Sunday during the homecoming party for new Mombasa ACK Bishop Alphonce Baya in Kilifi North, Kingi said discussions on the new party had begun.
Kingi said most of the problems affecting residents can only be addressed if the region has its own political party.
“In 2022, we'll not join any party. We'll build our own house with enough bedrooms to accommodate all of us. Borrowing from others has brought us many problems,’’ Kingi said.
The governor has been vocal on calls for secession of the region. He said the plans are still on course.
He asked elected leaders to sit and chat their own political agenda. Earlier efforts to form a regional party have been unsuccessful, but Kingi said they were working to ensure they succeed by 2022.
He said they were planning to call a meeting of all Coast religious leaders to discuss the agenda.
“Many people are crying because county government projects have collapsed. They are blaming the governor yet it is the national government that has refused to release county funds,’’ Kingi said.
He said Kilifi had not received any development funds from the national government for the last three months.
“For how long are we going to be borrowing? These are the issues that will be discussed in detail,’’ Kingi said.
Kingi said marginalisation of the region had led to the emergence of radical groups like the Mombasa Republican Council and the Mulungunipa.
"These are people who feel oppressed and marginalised in terms of jobs and development," he said.
He asked residents take advantage of devolution and develop their regions.
He blamed the national government for derailing growth in the counties by withholding county funds.
“There is no funding from the national government. They are now even taking over projects supposed to be done by the counties for political reasons," Kingi said.
The Coast region is largely seen as a stronghold of NASA leader Raila Odinga. The region voted overwhelmingly for Raila in last year's elections. Raila's party - ODM- won all MP seats in Kilifi. It also won the governor's seat as well as that of the senator and woman representative. Several MCAs were also elected on the ODM party ticket.
Once the new party is formed, all politicians are expected to decamp from their current parties, Kingi said.
Coast is known to be an ODM stronghold among the key pillars of Raila Odinga and for years it has been difficult for some leaders to come up with a strong coast based party.
Some of the Coast political parties that have existed include, Mwambao United Front, which also had an agenda of secession, KADU which was founded by Ronald Ngala
Shirikisho Party of Kenya, and recent KADU Asili a replica of the original KADU which is being led by Ngala.
Others were Chama Cha Uzalendo.
When Former ODM chief Whip Gideon Mung'aro left ODM he began advocating for a coast based party but it did not bear fruits.
Also present at the homecoming ceremony in Dabaso were MPs Aisha Jumwa (Malindi), Owen Baya (Kilifi North) Ken Chonga (Kilifi South) Michael Kingi (Magarini) Teddy Mwambire (Ganze) and Kilifi Woman Representative Getrude Mbeyu. The bishop is a brother to the area MP.