• Jumwa says Joho’s presidential ambitions are the ones driving his unity talk arguing that he can never champion for the Coast unity unless he detaches himself from ODM leader Raila Odinga’s wings.
• However, Joho said politics is local and those who want to be unified in the region as one people with one voice are welcome.
Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa and her Nyali counterpart Mohammed Ali have dismissed Mombasa governor Hassan Joho as unqualified to talk about Coast region politics.
They said the governor had rejected the talk of a Coast-based party to bring the region together. Speaking on Saturday at Frere Town grounds, Jumwa said Coast unity will only be found if leaders are sincere.
She said Joho’s presidential ambitions are the ones driving his unity talk, arguing that he can never champion for the Coast unity unless he detaches himself from ODM leader Raila Odinga’s wings.
“You cannot be looking for the presidency but whenever you are on the dais you tell us, ‘When Baba says right, we go right. When Baba says left, we go left,’” Jumwa said.
However, Joho said politics is local and those who want to be unified in the Coast region as one people with one voice are welcome. He spoke on Sunday in Mombasa meeting eight MPs and 30 of the 42 Mombasa MCAs.
“We need to reevaluate our political terrain locally and plan for the near future,” Joho said.
Jumwa’s sentiments were echoed by political observer Mwakuja Mrombo, who said Coast unity talk is currently a political gimmick used by certain politicians to remain relevant.
For there to be real unity, at least two issues must be resolved. “The tension between the Lower Coast and Upper Coast and the tension between the two sub-tribes of the Mijikenda community and the other seven,” Mrombo said.
He said there has to be a truce between the Durumas and Digos, who belong to the Mijikenda community and mostly reside in Kwale county, and the rest of the nine sub-tribes of the community.
The Coast region is dominated by the Mijikenda community. The Lower Coast include counties bordering the sea such as Kilifi, Mombasa, Kwale, Tana River and Lamu, while the Upper Coast include Taita Taveta.
“The mistake Joho and Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi are doing is antagonizing members of the Mijikenda community in Kwale and those in Kilifi,” Mrombo said.
Joho and Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya are political enemies. Joho has concentrated his unity efforts in Mombasa and Kilifi counties, and to some extent Tana River county.
However, Lamu, Kwale and Taita Taveta have been left out. On Sunday, Joho countered this narrative by explaining that charity begins at home.
“We are here to talk about the unity of Mombasa before we talk about the Coast unity‚” Joho said.
He said for one to be able to be accepted elsewhere, they must be accepted at home first.
“I’m sure our brothers in Kilifi and elsewhere, are also meeting to talk about unity so that this region speaks with one voice,” Joho said
Talk of a Coast-based party has been championed by Umoja Summit Party of Kenya led by secretary-general Naomi Cidi.
She said the best chance of the region uniting is with USPK, which she said is new and devoid of any blemish that other Coast-based parties founded earlier have been blighted with.
“If we are to unite as a region, we must talk about our own national party with roots in the region. Someone cannot talk of the region’s unity when we are promoting the ODM, UDA and Jubilee leaving out our own USPK,” Cidi said.
Ali, for his part, said Joho blocked the formation of a Coast-based party after the conversation started early last year.
“We ran up and down and came up with a party but Joho went and changed things, blocking the party,” he said.
“But it is not over. We will walk with the wheelbarrow so that we are also heard,” Joho said.
Mrombo said Joho is now using the same strategy that Uhuru is using, bringing together one’s supporters and talking to them about spreading specific messages.
“They are all borrowing a leaf from President Uhuru who did the Sagana 1, Sagana 2 and Sagana 3,” Mrombo said.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris