Mijikenda council of elders and a section of politicians at the Coast accuse ODM leader Raila Odinga of threatening their long-waited Coast-based political party that will be unveiled by Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi.
However, already different party officials at the Coast are consolidating parties so that they come up with one party.
There are 10 Political parties already engaged and they have been in the process of coming up with one coalition before July this year.
” The negotiations for a coalition started last year. We re in our final stages. Governor Kingi is driving the bus of more than 7 parties from the region, ” USPK official Naomi Cidi said.
” We have been engaging all stakeholders of the coastal parties from Lamu to Taita Taveta to come up with a strong coalition, ” KADU Asili official Gerald Thoya said.
While in Kilifi, ODM leader Raila Odinga said coastal based party will be a security threat in the region.
” Which industries have Raila helped us push in the region. We have seen him pushing for projects from the national government to Kisumu. What can you say ODM boss has pushed for the coast people? ” the group of the council of elders said.
” All parties have an origin and as Coast region does not have a party origin. We have seen Mudavadi and Wetangula representing western, Kalonzo and Mutua representing Ukambani, Raila representing Nyanza, President Uhuru for Mt. Kenya and DP Ruto for RiftValley, who is representing Coast? they added.
” We want the governors to come together to push that coalition which is almost ready that will push the region interest, ” they added.
Governor Kingi was categorically clear that it’s a coalition of all coast political parties and not a new Party.
“The greatest fear in all this is Raila losing some supporters to this coalition. That is the ODM leaders’ bitterness and not more than that, ” Coast political pundit says.