Leaders back Kibaki stand on MRC

By Philip Mwakio and Ngumbao Kithi

Several leaders in Coast Province have welcomed President Kibaki’s firm stand against the banned Mombasa Republican Council.

On Tuesday, Kibaki warned the group their demands for independence of the Coastal strip would not be entertained and the region will remain part of Kenya.

Coast Parliamentary Group chairman and MP for Bahari, Mr Benedict Fondo Gunda said that while the MRC’s grievances are genuine, the Government would only talk to the group once it drops the call for secession.

"The call that Coast is not in Kenya, is dangerous and must never be allowed, let’s find a solution to discuss with the Government," he said. Matuga MP Mr Chirau Mwakwere also supported the directive, but called for dialogue with the Government. "The call to secede is not acceptable as demanded by the group," Mwakwere said.

Magarini MP Mr Amason Kingi said the outlawed group has genuine grievances and advised the Government to initiate dialogue with it, but rejected the call for Coast to be independent.

Kilifi DC Mr Benjamin Wachira said Wednesday the group was dangerous, recalling that suspected MRC members recently destroyed a vehicle ferrying officials of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries commission conducting public education in the area.

"We have lost a vehicle which was destroyed by members of the MRC and they must stop their move or face the full force of the law," he said.

Mombasa DC, Mr Hassan Abdi said the group’s call to indigenous residents of Coast to boycott the coming general election was dangerous.

" We are ready to talk to them but they must stop the demands which are unrealistic today," he said.

Mombasa Mayor Mr Abubakar Mohadhar supported talks with the outlawed group but also rejected the call for secession.

Taita DC, Mr Njenga Miiri said the MRC was not a problem in the area, although security officers remained on high alert.

Wednesday, police were looking for MRC members trying to recruit supporters.

"We have intelligence going around the region looking for the MRC who are trying to recruit members secretly," he said.

Wundanyi MP, Thomas Mwadeghu said Coast people are marginalised and the Government has no option but to initiate dialogue with them.

He argued that the Government’s threat to use force could affect peace-loving people who have no idea about the group’s demands.

Myriad grievances

Mwadegu said serious problems affecting indigenous residents of Coast Province date back to the times when they were under the rule of the Sultan of Zanzibar, when their marginalisation began.

"The local people at the Coast complain of land crisis, unemployment and lack of infrastructure. This has been there since independence," he said.

On Tuesday police crushed a protest by MRC members during which one marcher died.

The incident came a few hours before President Kibaki issued what could well be his final State of the Nation address from Parliament, as Head of State, warning that he would never let the Coast region break away from Kenya.

On Monday, Prime Minister Raila Odinga told Mombasa residents the Government would not entertain secession talk by MRC. "We are not going to dialogue with people who claim not to be Kenyans," Raila declared.

Coast Provincial Police Officer Agrey Adoli warned that the crackdown on the MRC members has started and will continue until the group is crushed.

"The directive by the President is the beginning of the war on MRC and will ensure the region is safe from them [the group]," he warned.

An attempt by the Muslims for Human Rights (Muhuri) to initiate dialogue failed, as the MRC demanded the Government recognises the group. Muhuri tried to convince the MRC to dialogue, but the call was rejected as the group demanded that it first be unbanned.

MRC Secretary General Hamza Randu took the Government to court to challenge its decision to ban the group and the matter is being heard in Mombasa by a three-bench judge.

"We are waiting for the court to tell us if we are outlawed or not," Randu said.

National Cohesion and Integration Commission Chairman, Dr Mzalendo Kibunjia offer to listen to the group was spurned by MRC.

The Kenya Community Support Centre, Executive Director, Ms Philis Muema said MRC has the option to use their numbers to elect the local governors, senators, MPs and county representatives.

"We are well aware that MRC has become a wave in the in the region, but why can’t they use their numbers to elect the most competent leaders instead of boycotting elections?" she asked.

Muema said that although the Mijikenda are marginalised, they are better off than residents of North Eastern, Eastern and Nyanza provinces.

"When the police move to destroy the MRC, the most affected people will be the villagers and not the planners of the group," she said.

Family in grief

And Wednesday, the family of a man killed on Tuesday is blaming the police. The deceased was identified as Mr Said Ali Mwamasha, 25, a stonemason from Ngombeni, Magaoni village, Matuga, Kwale County.

"We are saddened by his death. I hope the blood of my brother that spilled will not be in vain as we aspire to get our rights,’’ said the deceased’s elder brother, Mzee Salim Mwamasha at the Coast Provincial General Hospital (CPGH) mortuary.

Muhuri’s project officer in charge of the Rapid Response team, Mr Francis Auma, who accompanied the deceased’s family, said a private pathologist will help carry out a post mortem examination on the body.

And for the second day running, anti riot police backed by Administration police took up strategic positions outside the Mombasa High Court to counter any possible protests by MRC members attending court.