Africa-Press – Kenya. Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi is set on a collision course with his Mombasa counterpart Hassan Ali Joho after declaring to lead the coastal region into a new political outfit.
This comes after Joho criticised the move and accused the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) rebels of dividing the region.
“Formation of a new political party will only serve to divide the people further and undermine the unity that the region has enjoyed in ODM and which has enabled them to push our agenda as a united region on the national stage,” Joho stated.
Speaking during the burial of former Kaloleni MP Gunga Mwinga, Kingi was joined by a section of coastal leaders who backed the idea.
Among them were Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa and her Kilifi North counterpart Owen Baya.
Kingi advocated for the region to be a united front ahead of the 2022 General elections.
“The people in the region are tired of being treated like second class citizens during every poll and we demand to be recognized as we have more than 1.7 million registered voters.
“I thank Coastal leaders for not attending the United Democratic Alliance launch. Coast will not be used to fill the baskets of others,” he stated.
The governor has declared a five-month deadline for the formation of the new political party.
The statement comes as politics in the coastal region continue to heat up. Coastal leaders have been engaging in a protracted battle in the race to pick a political kingpin in the region.
Kingi and Joho, who have been close allies fronting the ODM flag in the Coastal region, have both declared their 2022 presidential aspirations.
This has seen the two leaders steer off in different paths as they embark on plans to strengthen their political ambitions.
