Coast leaders split over formation of regional party

Sharp divisions have emerged among Coast leaders over a plan to form a regional political party ahead of the 2022 General Election.

Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa and her Kilifi counterpart Owen Baya have vowed to form a regional party that will unite the Coast people and be used as a political vehicle to bring change in 2022.

The leaders say forming a new party for the Coast people is timely, accusing the recent parties of taking advantage of the region's people. But others oppose the move, saying it is uncalled for.

According to Baya, ODM which dominates most parts of the Coast failed to consider the needs of the people after some party leaders were alleged to support the proposed county revenue sharing formula.

“The counties at the Coast require more money than before and we have seen some senators from ODM supporting the formula, meaning they have abandoned us,” he said.

"I think it is time for us to embark on our own political vehicle to guide us all the way in terms of development if they ditch us now."

In the 2017 General Election, more than 70 per cent of the Coast region voted for ODM. The idea of a new party has, however, created divisions within the leadership, with some supporting it while others strongly opposed to it.

Baya said once the formula is approved Coast counties will lose over Sh5 billion each financial year.

Governor Salim Mvurya raised concerns over projects that will stall in Kwale once senators pass the contentious revenue sharing formula.

Kinango MP Benjamin Tayari said there was a need to have a new political party at the Coast and the people will decide for themselves on who to support come 2022.

He criticised the ODM party for sidelining coastal leaders in membership of the Senate and National Assembly committees.

In Kilifi, five MCAs led by Majority leader Adamson Mwathethe are opposed to the move and claim their loyalty is still to the Orange Democratic Movement.

Mwathethe said MPs fronting the formation of a Coast-based political party were serving their personal interests and not those of the region which is an ODM stronghold.

Mwathethe told the MPs backing a Coast-based party to resign from ODM and seek re-election on the tickets of their preferred parties.

He told the Malindi MP and her Kilifi North counterpart to resign from their positions as ODM assistant national organising secretary and member of the Parliamentary Service Commission respectively.

"I would like to remind the MPs of the provisions of the Political Parties Act, which discourages the formation of regional parties and instead roots for every party to have a national outlook," he said.

Mwathethe urged residents of Kilifi county and the Coast region to continue supporting the ODM party and the Building Bridges Initiative. 

Former MCA for Watamu Ibrahim Abdi also dismissed those who planning to form a Coast-based political party, saying they are being misled to dig their political graves.

Abdi said the same people who were advocating for a Coast-based party lied to them in 2017 and they lost overwhelmingly.

Jumwa insists that it's time Coast had its own political party for the people to have a stake in the national cake. She said those opposed to the move were enemies of the people who had for long been used by people from outside to fulfill their political agendas.

Ngumu Tupu chairman and strong ODM follower Hassan Chitembe, among other leaders, is against the idea of creating a regional party. He said most leaders who are in favour of the move have personal issues with ODM.

Former Kwale ODM commissioner Amani Mwajirani said it was not time to think of forming another political party while locals were in need of development ideas.

Msamwbeni ODM secretary general William Opondo warned politicians against the misleading Coast people.

Similar attempts by Coast leaders to form a political party ahead of the 2017 General Election failed due to disunity.

Edited by Henry Makori