A group of Malindi youths on Thursday protested outside the Kilifi county assembly over the unveiling of the Coast-based political party famously known as Tufe.
The youths caused commotion forcing the security officials to block them from getting into the assembly.
However, they camped outside forcing members of the county assembly who were inside to come and address them.
Some of the youths were carrying the tufe, which is a football made of waste papers, and even begun playing outside the gate in the watchful eyes of the public and county assembly security while others hooted.
It took the intervention of the MCAs to silence them after telling them that they were ready to listen to their grievances.
Led by Harun Bakari and Ustadh Hussein Mzee the youth said they decided to demonstrate up to the county assembly to lodge their complaint to the MCAs on the issue of the formation of a Coast-based political party.
The said time has come for the region to have its own vehicle in the national political arena instead of supporting other political parties which has been the trend for decades.
Bakari said they have been yearning for a political party of their own that would safeguard the interest of the region.
“For many years we have been renting other people’s houses sometimes we are forced to sleep in the sitting room. The party that we have fought for many years has its own base upcountry but not in the coast,” he said.
Bakari said the ODM party only gives the Coast region deputy party leader position while the rest of the crucial positions are held by people from Nyanza.
Among the positions held include Minority leader in the Senate James Orengo, Minority leader in the National Assembly Junet Mohamed and ODM chairman all from Nyanza.
Mzee said elected leaders who will not be in the wave for the coastal political parties shall be voted out.
He said recently in State House the leaders who were called did not include anyone from the Coast.
The MCAs thanked the youth for raising their concerns and assured them that they would have a meeting with the governor regarding the issue and promised to ensure their wish is fulfilled.
Deputy majority leader Sammy Ndago said they were happy to hear that people are concerned with the coalition of the Coast party.
“As you have said we will sit down with our governor, MPs and other governors supporting the idea of a coalition of Coast parties, with us leading from Kilifi to come with the coalition,” he said.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
