The opposition to the appointment of former Labour CS Kazungu Kambi to the National Land Commission has revealed the disunity of Coast leaders.
The Umoja Summit Party of Kenya and the Kenya Muslim National Advisory Council on Tuesday described the matter as ‘a sad state of affairs'.
Kambi’s approval by Parliament for the job has been opposed by Coast MPs including Owen Baya (Kilifi North) and Teddy Mwambire (Ganze), among others.
Protests against his appointment were organised in Bamba, Kilifi county, Kambi’s own backyard.
A decade-long court case over a loan he acquired using a Giriama Ranch title was cited as a reason for his unsutiability for the NLC job.
“Every time Coast leaders take to podiums they call for unity of the region, but when our own is appointed to a government position, we oppose it,” USPK secretary general Naomi Cidi said.
Kemnac chairman Sheikh Juma Ngao said the bane of the Coast region is jealousy, selfishness and the 'big man' mentality.
“Kazungu Kambi has been a minister in the Kenyan government for over 10 years. How is he not fit to be a small commissioner in a government agency,” Sheikh Ngao asked.
The two spoke to the Star on the phone separately.
Cidi said the region will continue to be used as a pawn in political chess games for as long as unity is not found.
“The problem is that we do not approach our leaders whenever they go wrong. We wait for them to err the start using that as a weapon against them,” she said.
She said the formation of the USPK was meant to bridge the unity gap that exists in the region.
“I seriously think USPK will bring this elusive unity we seek and that is why we should all support it,” Cidi said.
She blamed the coast economy woes on outsiders aking advantage of the region's dsunity.
“Leaders from other regions have influenced the removal of port services from Mombasa to Nairobi and Naivasha, killing the Coast economy,” the cleric said.
Cidi said had Coast leaders been united, this would never have happened.
“We must stop complaining all the time and seek solutions to our problems,” Cidi said.
