Kaya elders and the Taireni Association of the Mijikenda have promised to champion Coast unity and dictate the region's political direction.
In a closed-door meeting that lasted about eight hours on Sunday, the two groups who have been championing for the rights of the region separately agreed to work together to put Coast politicians in check.
TAM chairman Peter Ponda said the newfound partnership is a precursor of socio-political engagements towards the 2022 General Election and beyond.
“We want to see a united region whereby both leaders and the residents will be speaking the same language and not throw barbs at each other,” Ponda said.
He said, to achieve this they have decided to come together and play both advisory and the lead role in guiding the unity of the region because their leaders have respect for the elderly.
The group urged all county assemblies in the region to seek the views of the public before passing or rejecting the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2020. The bill is a result of the BBI.
“This should be a people-driven process. Let the MCAs go back to those who elected them and ask for their views,” Ponda said.
Mijikenda Kaya elders’ association coordinator Nzai Tsuma said the meeting also agreed to safeguard Kaya elders from being used and dumped.
Tsuma said in most cases, politicians flock to Kaya shrines to demand blessings.
“We are not accepting the fraudulent buying of blessings from bonafide Kaya elders. We will have a list of candidates then agree upon vetting on who to bless and who not to bless,” Tsuma said.
He said the vetting will not look at the financial muscles of the candidates but his social upstanding.
Tsuma said they will not bless thieves and murderers but leaders of repute.
He called on the government to crack the whip on fake Kaya elders who purport to bless politicians.
They took issues with the installation of Suleiman Shahbal as an elder yet he is not a Mijikenda.
Tsuma said the politician paid the elders so that he could be installed as a Mijikenda elder because there is a politician from the same area who is currently riding high.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
