- Council chairman Sharif Salim said it would be prudent for politicians to tap into the wisdom of elders and respect them as in Eastern where the choice of elders to fill political offices is final.
- There's too much selfishness and ego at the Coast and politicians don't pull together for the region, but for themselves.
@ppcheti
The Lamu Council of Elders on Saturday advised politicians to seek their blessings in choosing candidates for election to achieve unity and progress.
The elders said it was high time politicians stopped hanging onto the likes of Jubilee and ODM and instead purpose to have their own party.
The council chairman Sharif Salim said it would be prudent for politicians to tap into the wisdom of elders and respect them as in Eastern where the choice of elders to fill political offices is final.
He cited the recent unopposed election of Yusuf Haji’s son Abdul Hajji as Garissa senator after the rest of the candidates stood down following the elders’ directive.
In Garissa county which is made up of three major clans - the Abduwak, Aulihan and Abdallah - clans play an integral role in the endorsement of candidates, who usually win.
Salim said areas like Northeastern have been able to progress steadily both politically and development-wise due to their respect for the voice of the elders.
“If we had politicians here hold us in high regard as we witness in Northeastern and elsewhere, we would not be crying about being marginalised, underdevelopment or anything. We would be competing with those counties high up there instead," Salim said.
The council has especially asked politicians brace for the 2022 General Election by ensuring they are in the elders' good books.
Salim said arrogance, greed and selfishness are among the many reasons the coast region has not been able to achieve a common political bloc.
“We had the Jumuiya ya Pwani initiative, a very good idea, but because each of the politicians is pulling in their own direction for their own personal gain, it has failed to take off. If only we could sit and agree how to move the Coast region ahead, we would get far,” he said.
The elders praised Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho and his Kilifi counterpart Amason Kingi leading from the front in trying to unify the Coast.
They said their efforts will be futile, however, if the voice of reason from the elders will not preceed them.
Council secretary Mohamed Mbwana said the stubbornness of the Coast leaders was costing not just the region’s unity but also development and progress.
“Apart from Northeastern, we have the Talai elders who are very much respected in the Rift Valley and their word comes to fruition. We also have Luhya elders and many others. It’s only here in Lamu that we seem to have a problem and it's really costing us," Mbwana said.
He said the coastal region is now in a position to front its own presidential candidate in the next general election but that it might to happen owing to the disunity among leaders.
He said the situation has now reduced coastal politicians to spectators who have little or nothing say in national matters.
Mbwana observed that the region’s political path shattered with the deaths of veteran bigwigs Ronald Ngala, Sheriff Nassir and Karisa Maitha but added it wasn’t late too rise up and find replacements.
“These are people who respected elders, and other people who wouldn’t make a single decision in their political lives without first considering what the elders thought and as you see, they travelled far far," Mbwana said.
(Edited by V. Graham)