Mombasa county chief host his Taita Taveta counterpart in meeting attended by MCAs, declare they will traverse region to market handshake
Image: SOLOMON MUINGI
Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho will lead a campaign to drum up support for the Building Bridges Initiative across the Coast region, the Star has learnt.
Joho has already roped in his Taita Taveta counterpart Granton Samboja, who declared support for the initiative following a two-hour meeting with Joho in Mombasa on Wednesday.
The meeting, attended by Taita Taveta MCAs, affirmed Joho’s position as one of the key figures in Coast politics.
Samboja, once seen as a rebel governor, declared support for President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga.
Samboja was elected on the Wiper party ticket but recently warmed up to the camp supporting Deputy President William Ruto.
“I support President Uhuru and Raila Odinga on the handshake, (the fight against) corruption and unity of the country,” Samboja said at Joho’s office.
He said he and Joho will in the next few days move around the Coast region promoting the BBI.
“The Coast will be in BBI. A lot will happen in the next few days,” Samboja said.
Joho said opponents of the BBI are politicising the matter because they want to benefit individually.
“I am surprised by those that oppose this initiative. They must not forget why the handshake was formed,” Joho said.
The BBI report has been finalised and is just waiting for an official handover to Uhuru and Raila.
Joho said the handshake is not about creating positions for any individual as opponents claim.
“Where Raial has reached in his career, there is no way he will be looking for a position through the back door,” Joho said. “Stop hallucinating! Wake up!”
The Mombasa governor said the aim of the BBI is to create an all-inclusive Kenya where no one will raise a machete against another.
The BBI presents an opportunity for Kenyans to reflect on the issues that affect them the most and work towards resolving them or finding solutions to them, he said.
Both Joho and Samboja assured Uhuru and Raila they will marshal the Coast region to support the initiative.
Joho asked those opposed to the handshake to read the mood of their people before making rash decisions.
“There will always be naysayers. Some of them have not even considered the mood of their own people. Because their people are hungry just as many other Kenyans are,” Joho said.
The ODM deputy party leader hit out at Ruto’s allies, saying those in the DP's camp were trying to paint the pro-BBI team as a violent group.
“They are now trying to raise issues concerning Kibra. Those guys don’t understand what violence is. There was no violence in Kibra,” Joho said.
edited by peter obuya