Saturday, September 22, 2012

Coast MPs scramble for county seats



  SHARE BOOKMARKPRINTEMAILRATING
Coast MPs (from left) Ali Hassan Joho of Kisauni, Gideon Mung’aro of Malindi, Omar Zonga of Msambweni, Jeffwa Kingi of Magarini, Dr Nuh Hassan of Bura and Sammy Kambi of Kaloleni during a visit to Siloam Ministries church in Kisauni constituency in 2008. Most MPs from the region will vie for county seats in the next general elections. Photo/BILLY MUTAI
Coast MPs (from left) Ali Hassan Joho of Kisauni, Gideon Mung’aro of Malindi, Omar Zonga of Msambweni, Jeffwa Kingi of Magarini, Dr Nuh Hassan of Bura and Sammy Kambi of Kaloleni during a visit to Siloam Ministries church in Kisauni constituency in 2008. Most MPs from the region will vie for county seats in the next general elections. Photo/BILLY MUTAI 
By JULIUS SIGEI jsigei@ke.nationmedia.com AND MAKWERA MWAJEFA mmwajeffa@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Friday, September 21  2012 at  23:30
IN SUMMARY
  • Mwakwere and Balala ditch national politics for local seats as politicians change focus in devolved system of governance
  • Fourteen of the 21 elected leaders from six regions ditch Parliament for new posts of governor and senator in the March 4, 2013, election
Senior politicians in Coast are ditching Parliament for county positions in the March General Election. 
Fourteen of the 21 elected MPs in the region have joined the race for senate and gubernatorial seats.
Among those giving up the national stage for local politics are Fisheries minister Amason Kingi, his Environment counterpart Chirau Mwakwere, assistant minister Ramadhan Kajembe and the region’s longest serving MP, Mr  Fahim Twaha.
Mr Mwakwere cleared the last hurdle to contesting the Kwale senate seat on Tuesday when the court dropped hate speech charges against him.
But the Matuga MP has also expressed interest to be the presidential running mate of United Republican Party leader William Ruto.
In Tana River, MPs Danson Mungatana  (Garsen) and Dhadho Godhana (Galole) will battle it out for the governor’s mansion, while Dr Abdi Nuh (Bura) will go for the senate, leaving all the three seats open.
In the neighbouring Lamu, the two MPs, Mr Twaha (Lamu West) and Abu Chiaba (Lamu East) have indicated they will go for governor and senator respectively. Both are allied to Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta’s The National Alliance party.
In Mombasa, only Likoni MP Masoud Mwahima will defend his seat as the three other MPs go county. Former Tourism minister Najib Balala (Mvita) recently announced he will vie for senate on a Republican Congress Party of Kenya ticket. He will be up against ODM’s Ramadhan Kajembe (Likoni) and human rights activist Omar Hassan.
Kisauni MP Hassan Joho wants to be governor on an ODM ticket. Mr Joho will face businessman Suleiman Shahbal, former Kaloleni MP Chibule wa Tsuma and retired banker Ibrahim Khamis, among others.
Share This Story
  
In Kilifi, Mr Kingi (Magarini) and Ganze MP Francis Baya are fighting for the governor’s post, while Malindi MP Gideon Mung’aro and Bahari’s Benedict Gunda will defend their seats.
The Kilifi senate race has attracted eight aspirants, including former ministers Morris Dzoro and Katana Ngala, as well as former Magarini MP David Kombe.
Taita Taveta bucks the trend of MPs giving up their seats. All the four law makers — Calist Mwatela (Mwatate), Dan Mwazo ( Voi) and Thomas Mwadeghu (Wundanyi) and Naomi Shaban (Taveta) — will defend their seats.
“I am defending my Taveta Parliamentary seat and I have little to say about the county positions,” Gender minister Naomi Shaban told Saturday Nation.
Four newcomers want to be governor — former Central Bank of Kenya deputy governor  Jacinta Mwatela, Mr John Mruttu (former Kenya Petroleum Refinery Limited general manager), Dr Elijah Mwandoe (Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology lecturer) and former permanent secretary Mwanyengela Ngali.
All the aspirants face a tough task winning over voters skeptical of politicians making electoral pledges they never fulfill. Top on the list are the so-called historical injustices — high unemployment rate, lack of land, poverty, inequitable sharing of tourism and natural resources, among others.
The separatist group Mombasa Republican Council has built its campaign for secession around these issues and is opposed to the General Election. Land is the biggest challenge, with the question of squatters and absentee landlords unresolved for six decades.
The increased exploration for oil and mining activities in the area have also heightened ethnic consciousness among the residents, with most thinking they would have a fairer share of the resources if upcountry people are kicked out. 
Analysts say the divisive MRC agenda may be the biggest vote winner this time round. This partly explains why all presidential aspirants have been trooping to the province with promises of undoing the so-called historical injustices.
On Thursday, MRC secretary general Randu Nzai Ruwa dismissed all the aspirants as self-seekers and people who would not change the life of coast people.
“Their ignorance will be costly when the court decides our case against the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission,”  he said .
Mr Hassan says most MPs were quitting for county positions because the new offices have more influence.
Prime Minister Raila Odinga faces a dilemma whether to endorse Mr Hassan or Mr Kajembe, both of whom are his close allies.
“Mr Kajembe is the vice chairman of the party, but I am also the vice chair of the Friends of Raila (Fora) lobby, which means the democratic decision ODM will have to make must be informed by something else,” he said.
Mr Shabbal, who is allied to deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi’s UDF, said businesspeople and professionals were best suited to manage the counties.
“They (local MPs) have presided over the decline of the county in the last few years. Poverty, unemployment and drug abuse has increased as the local leadership has not put in place sustainable development mechanisms.”
But Mr Balala defended MPs, saying some had performed well.
“I was the mayor for this city (Mombasa) and I performed as minister of Tourism. I agree, though, that leaders have to account for their time in leadership positions.”

1 comment:

  1. What's up, I want to subscribe for this website to obtain latest updates, so where can i do it please help out.

    Here is my web page magic flight launch box

    ReplyDelete