Coast leaders blame Uhuru for corruption

Corruption in the Jubilee administration is the biggest threat to the Coast’s prosperity, the region's leaders have said.

Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho and his Kilifi counterpart Amason Kingi led legislators in denouncing what they called rampant corruption in the Jubilee administration. They said the theft of public resources has made most Coast residents poor and hopeless.

The leaders called for unity among the region’s politicians to propel one of them to the presidency in 2022.

They spoke on Sunday at Mtomondoni in Kilifi South constituency during a funds drive to support the education of orphans. Sh5 million was raised within an hour.

The two governors were accompanied by MP Ken Chonga, Tiaty MP Kasait Kamket and other legislators from Kilifi, Mombasa and Kwale.

Kingi said the region's woes, including poverty and landlessness, are a result of skewed allocation of resources and historical injustices that have not been addressed.

HeurgedPresident Uhuru Kenyatta to include repossession of grabbed land at the Coast in his fight against corruption.

“It is no secret our people have been displaced from their land since the early years of Independence. Today, moneyed land grabbers are being given police escort by senior officers to continue evicting our people from their ancestral homes. We will not allow this,” he said.

Kingi was referring to recent standoffs between police and squatters in Mtwapa, Maweni and Mwendo wa Panya.

Joho criticised those Jubilee leaders who defend graft suspects, adding it is a shame that the country is faced with drought and famine while Kenyans are witnessing massive theft of public resources.

“Many governors today are busy making contingency plans for distributing relief food to their starving constituents but no action is being taken against well-known thieves who have plundered public resources meant for projects targeting long-term drought mitigation,” he said.

Joho said corruption has reached an alarming level in the national government under Uhuru.

Kingi blamed graft for the collapse of Galana Kulalu irrigation project and called on the national government to allow Kilifi and Tana River county governments to jointly revive and manage the project.

“Those in charge of the Galana project have failed because from the beginning, we saw clearly they did not have the interest of Kenyans at heart but he desire to enrich themselves,” Kingi said.

Kamket dismissed claims that the war on corruption is targeting the Kalenjin community. Leaders saying so are only defending themselves as they are tainted by graft, the MP said.

“As a community, we shall not be sacrificed or used to protect thieves. Those mentioned in various scandals should carry their own cross," Kamket said.

The MPs vowed to rally behind Joho in his quest for the presidency. They said they are impressed by the massive support Joho is receiving in upcountry regions and want to take advantage of that goodwill to ensure the Coast produces the next President.

“We have accompanied Joho in Western, Eastern, Rift Valley and recently Wajir where he was given a hero’s welcome. This is a clear sign we cannot go wrong if we crown him our kingpin,” Rabai MP William Kamoti said.

Joho said he wants to be on the presidential ballot in 2022.

Kingi, who is also interested in the presidency, did not out outright endorse Joho but called for unity among Coast leaders. He said it was pointless to announce a flagbearer from the region while local leaders were still divided.

“Our sons Prof Katama Mkangi and Dr Chibule wa Tsuma ran for president but we never voted for them. This is the tragedy that we have faced over the years which we must address first before endorsing anyone to run again,” Kingi said.

Kilifi Deputy Governor Gideon Saburi, Senator Stewart Madzayo, Mombasa’s Mohamed Faki and Issa Juma Boy of Kwale attended the event.

Others were MPs Omar Mwinyi (Changamwe), Abdulswamad Nassir (Mvita), Teddy Mwambire (Ganze) Mombasa Woman Rep Asha Hussein and many MCAs.