Coast leaders put ODM leader Raila Odinga to task yesterday over his handshake deal with President Uhuru Kenyatta, saying they were yet to see benefits.
Eight Coast politicians told Raila there was nothing to smile about after the March 9 deal. Raila said the region’s issues were being addressed.
The Coast voted overwhelmingly for Raila in last year’s presidential election. Uhuru and Raila have since agreed to work together following the polarising campaigns. The two shook hands, put aside their differences and agreed to build bridges in an initiative aimed at uniting Kenyans.
At an Eid baraza in Mombasa, ODM politicians told Raila the handshake has not eased residents’ problems. Among those who spoke at the meeting were Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, Senator Mohamed Faki, MPs Aisha Hussein (Mombasa), Abdulswamad Nassir (Mvita), Omar Mwinyi (Changamwe), Mishi Mboko (Likoni), William Kamoti (Rabai) and Badi Twalib (Jomvu).
The Mombasa politicians have scheduled a meeting with President Uhuru Kenyatta. The date is yet to be confirmed but agenda will include economic and social challenges facing the county.
The concerns include port services and revenue, standard gauge railway operations, job losses, skewed appointment to parastatals, the presidency, issu- ance of ID cards and insecurity.
Kamoti asked why part of the revenue from the Kenya Ports Authority is not remitted to the county.
“Turkana will be getting five per cent of oil revenue. The same should happen here in Mombasa,” he said.
Faki said 25 per cent of KPA’s annual revenue should be given to Mombasa. Last year, Joho demanded port operations be handed over to the county.
He said the demand was in line with the Constitution.
“The functions of the county are county transport, including ferries and harbours,” reads Part Two of Schedule Four of the Constitution.
Twalib said port cities worldwide have thrived from their harbours and asked why Mombasa’s case was different.
“Narok county is collecting revenue from the Masai Mara Park. We must also get KPA’s proceeds,” he said. Faki said hundreds of residents lost their jobs after the Kenya Petroleum Refineries Limited was converted into an oil storage unit. The senator said oil from Turkana should be refined in Mombasa before it is exported.
“The oil refinery in Mombasa died five years ago. It should be revived. These are the things locals want the handshake to resolve,”
Faki said. He said residents still had challenges acquiring ID cards. Kamoti said the introduction of the SGR train resulted in the closure of container freight stations, which employed many residents.“
The SGR operations that are causing job losses should be halt- ed before we celebrate the hand- shake,” he said.
Mwinyi said residents have not been sidelined in appointment to parastatals in the region. He cited the KPA and the Coast Develop- ment Authority.
“We don’t want non-beneficial relationships,” he said. “There are 3,000 newly em- ployed people at the KPA. We want to know where they came from. We also want a list of the management trainees.”
The MP said the handshake will be doomed if these concerns were not addressed. The MP also faulted the 14-mem- ber advisory committee on building bridges, saying the region was not included.
Raila challenged the claim, saying member Saeed Mwanguni comes from Coast. Nassir said insecurity and forced disappearances remain a big prob- lem in Mombasa.
He blamed police for the disappearances.
Nassir asked ODM to sponsor motions and amendments through Acts of Parliament to make security chiefs answerable for disappearances. He asked Raila to push for solutions.
“We can’t live as squatters in our own land for purported injustices caused by the state,” Nassir said.
Hussein said the handshake should allow a Muslim to be elected as President.
“If not, we can call for a referendum and go the Tanzanian way where a Christian serves for one term then a Muslim takes over for the other term,” Hussein said.
She said Joho should run for president.
Mboko said the Coast has been helping other communities to win the presidency.
“It is time they reciprocated,” Mboko said.
She supported the call to have Joho run in 2022.
Joho said they want Uhuru to address them. “We don’t want projects given to us as favours. We will demand what is rightfully ours,” he said. Joho said the challenges will be addressed through persistent dialogue.
Raila said the handshake will resolve all the issues raised by the leaders. He said the handshake deal is hinged on a nine-point agenda that seeks to end ethnic antagonism, corruption, divisive elections and insecurity. Other points in the deal are national ethos, inclusivity, devolution, shared prosperity and responsibility. Raila proposed a forum to have the KPA issues addressed.
“We want to reconstruct and restructure the operations of the KPA. Exclusion will be addressed by the 14-member team,” he said.