The newly formed Umoja Summit Party of Kenya (USPK) has started taking shape.
Jubilee Mombasa chairman Matano Chengo has quit the ruling party and joined the new outfit as the interim chairman.
Chengo says his vision is to make the new outfit the mouthpiece of the Coast residents.
A meeting on Sunday in Mombasa resolved to have the 19 party positions filled by May 1.
Those interested may come from any part of the country. Vetting of candidates will be conducted by a special panel from the region.
The vetting committee will come up with a criteria to use to vet the candidates, who will pay Sh50,000 each for the nine executive party positions. The 10 non-executives will part with Sh20,000.
The interim party officials want the party position to be filled by people from across the 47 counties.
After the meeting, 70 application forms were quickly taken.
“This shows people are hungry for fresh leadership under a new vehicle that will take them across the sea,” Chengo said.
Interim secretary general Naomi Cidi said the biggest undoing for the region has been the shaky leadership that it has had over the years.
The party believes the region should be the second most important in the country, owing to its natural resources, including the sea and the port.Chengo said the Blue Economy must benefit the region more than any other in development, jobs and economic growth. “It’s only natural,” he said.
The party is also attracting the interest of former legislators from the region. They have called a meeting with the interim party officials to share views on how to steer the new vehicle. The meeting is scheduled for February 23.
Former Parliamentarians Association (Fopa), an organisation of the former legislators, expressed interest in the new outfit. Fopa is led by former Kaloleni MP Morris Dzoro.
Fopa was formed in October last year to promote development and unity in the region.These objectives are similar to those of USPK.
Dzoro said the ex-legislators have been sidelined by the current leadership, despite having vast experience.
“Most of the former legislators are professionals with a lot of experience in different fields. We have been offering consultancy in other areas but it is time we focus on our home county and region. This is the main reason we have decided to come together,” he said.
The Fopa Kilifi Chapter has 21 members.
Ex-Likoni MP Suleiman Shakombo on Sunday said most of the current leaders were not elected. “They were installed,” he said.
USPK now plans to use these leaders to help with their experience. The new outfit will, however, be pro-youthful leadership.
“We want to give the youth a chance to lead. They have been denied leadership for long,” Cidi said.
Chengo said he left Jubilee after struggling to explain to his people the benefits the region or the people have got from his position.
The latest government appointments have also added fuel to the fire. Most key positions in the parastatal appointments have been given to people from other regions.
“Before 2013, we used to have three Cabinet ministers from the Coast. In 2103, they were two – Najib Balala and Dan Kazungu. In 2017, it was only Balala,” Chengo said.
“We are not inciting our people. We are speaking the truth because our time on this earth is almost up. What will we leave our children with?” he asked.
Elected leaders in the region are following what is happening with the party from afar as they weigh their options.
None has spoken publicly about the party.