Mijikenda Kaya elders have called on elected leaders from the coastal region to respect them.
The elders said it is through their blessings that they have been able to make it to the different positions of leadership in the county and national levels.
They said they have embarked on a mission to champion for their rights and those of the region which will see them reaching out to the different government authorities, including the President William Ruto so as to push for the development agenda for the region.
They said they have appointed Naomi Cidi as the patron and spokesperson to the Mijikenda Kaya Elders Association. Cidi will spearhead the programme of ensuring that the association's demands are met by the government.
During the ceremony held at Kayafungo, the Kaya elders also appointed Tayari Mwaringa as the chairman of Kaya Fungo.
For decades, the Kaya elders said they have been used and dumped by politicians who later disrespect them after clinching power, hence the need to change strategy and use one of their own to push their agenda.
They also said there were some individuals who are not from the region who claim they are pushing the agenda of the Coast and warned them against doing so against their wish as they have their own, like Cidi who are learned and are able to go to the relevant offices to push their agenda.
Among the issues they want addressed is unemployment, land ownership documents, conservation of Kayas and the general area to mitigate climate change.
Addressing journalists at Kaya Fungo, Cidi said she had accepted the role given to her by elders and promised to spearhead the agenda of the elders and the region at large so that it’s not left behind.
“We will continue coming to you (leaders) so as to urge you to be responsible. Number one you should respect Kaya elders because they are the ones who have made us to be who we are today,” she said.
Cidi, who has served in different capacities in top government positions and now is a business woman, said other communities such as the Luo, Kikuyu, Embu, Kalenjin, Kambas have council of elders, but in Coast only individuals go to see the President.
She said from now henceforth they do not want a person to claim they are defending the interests of Mijikenda without the consent of the Kaya elders as they themselves have the capacity to fight for their rights.
“We have the ability to go to the President and we shall look for ways of going to meet him because as you have heard from elders he was here and was given keys to statehouse,” she said.
Cidi said Senate Speaker Amason Kingi and Cabinet Secretaries Aisha Jumwa were blessed by the Kaya elders and that’s why they have reached the positions they are in.
Mijikenda Kaya Elders Association chairman Mwinyi Mwalimu, who hails from Kaya Digo, said there were other leaders who divide them so as not to be supported by the government which is wrong.
He also endorsed the Kayafungo chairman officially, saying all the others are not legitimate as he was the only one recognised by Kaya elders.
Mwaringa, while accepting his new position as chairman of Kaya Fungo, said they are the ones who conducted prayers for President Ruto and Jumwa but there were other elders who were not there who are fighting him.
Tsuma Nzai Kombe, a Kaya elder, said their aim is to see a united coastal region, where leaders coexist peacefully and respect the elders.
He said they are soon going to convene a grand meting for all Mijikenda and Kaya elders from the region so as to chart a way forward in development.
Currently, he said they have initiated a programme to deal with climate change so as to be in the forefront in planting trees to reclaim the lost forest cover.
Nguma Charo, a Mijikenda youth leader in charge of Coast, said the region has reaped Ruto’s government that’s why they want to know how they can benefit from the government.
He said they want all leaders to work with government regardless of which coalition they were in during the August 9 general election.
“There are some leaders who are undermining the elders, from today those will go against the elders shall be cursed,” he said.
Nguma also told ODM leader Raila Odinga to forget about presidency as he lost in the previous election and shall never win because Coast was his stronghold and never did anything.
Mohamed Chengo and Grace Lwambe who are members of the Mijikenda Kaya Elders Association said there is need for Coast to be recognised so as to develop the region as there are so many problems now.