Safina to vie for Presidency

Saturday, 26 February 2011 17:06 BY BRIAN OTIENO

Safina party has announced that it will present a presidential candidate in the 2012 general election. Speaking during a meeting of party coordinators at the Coast, officials said the plight of the Coastal people has been constantly neglected by successive governments and other political parties. “The land issues that have dogged the region for decades have remained a nightmare for the residents despite the presence of many political parties in the region,” said Herman Mwarabu, the party’s Kinango coordinator.

Mwarabu said areas like Lamu have had their land title deeds given to foreigners, leaving locals wallowing in poverty. He said 85 per cent of the land in Lamu is owned by foreigners while the locals most of whom are from the Bajuni community own a paltry 15 per cent. “This is not acceptable. Safina as a party feels that at least 50 per cent of the land should be owned by the locals. They should own 50 per cent of the titles. The same applies to Kinango where almost 95 per cent of the titles there are owned by foreigners,” said Mwarabu.

Kenya Muslims National Advisory Council director Mohamed Fazul, who is a Safina National Executive Committee member, called on the government to increase security on its borders.

Fazul said Safina will work to ensure that Kenya’s porous borders are properly guarded to avoid illegal immigrants or militiamen from entering the country. “These are the same borders that will be used by illegal armed groups to infiltrate Kenya and recruit our innocent youth,” said Fazul.

Fazul said the country needs more unity than what ODM and PNU are giving. He said the two parties do not make Kenya. “Kenya is not owned by the two parties. Kenya is for Kenyans and any move by the government should be done constitutionally,” said Fazul.