Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa has challenged Kilifi County Governor Amason Kingi to make a stab at the presidency in 2022 on a yet to be formed coastal-based party.
Speaking at a funeral at Kavunyalalo area in Malindi Sub County, Jumwa said she was ready to dump the Tanga tanga political bandwagon to support Kingi if only he also dumped the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) for the yet to be launched outfit.
Mrs Jumwa, who is the Deputy President William Ruto’s point woman in the region added that it was only Governor Kingi who was in a position to unite the Mijikenda community but on condition that he aligns himself to a local party.
“I want to tell governor Kingi to leave where he is currently positioned and join us to unite the Mijikenda and I am ready to support his presidential ambitions and abandon where I am for his sake. We shall only negotiate to support an outsider when Kingi decides to go into a coalition with the person of our choice,” she said.
Kingi has in the past castigated those pushing for the formation of a local political vehicle arguing that uniting the Mijikenda did not require a political party but the good will of the people.
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Jumwa’s sentiments may cause a rift between Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho and Governor Kingi who have had a working relationship in politics.
“He (Kingi) has been saying that we are pushing for a coastal party yet we endorse DP Ruto but I want to tell him that we are ready to support him if he abandons ODM and supports the coastal party idea and we shall also dump Ruto,” she added.
She also challenged Mr Kingi to declare if he was ready to battle it out on the presidential race so that she can mobilise all leaders in the region behind him.
New local outfit
Her sentiments came barely a day after the ODM youth league at the Coast declared to support and popularise the party in the area.
Led by Patriciah Mwashighadi, the ODM youth read the Dabaso declaration of 2020 that stated that ODM was the most preferred party at the Coast and nobody could interfere with it.
“We have declared the Dabaso declaration by saying that ODM is an entrenched Coastal party that will take the people to prosperity and has stood the test of time in fighting for their rights,” she said.
She added that the youth league will hit the ground in a massive recruitment exercise to the grassroots level to register new members.
Samir Nyundo, an ODM youth leader from Kilifi warned party rebels Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa and her Kilifi North counterpart Owen Baya that they will cut them to size politically.
”We wish to let MPs Aisha Jumwa and Owen Baya aware that we know who they have turned to be and what they’re planning to do now that they have gone berserk. Waheshimiwa don’t dare us because we are the reason why you fly to and from Kilifi to Nairobi and very soon we shall cut short those Safaris,” he said.
His Mombasa counterpart and nominated MCA Moses Arani said that Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho was bonafide Coastal political kinging and together with Governor Amason Kingi they should be respected by all leaders.
Former Watamu Member of County Assembly Ibrahim Athman Matumbo warned leaders that they will be digging their political graves if they go against Mr. Joho and Kingi.
“Watamu is a ‘Handshake’ zone, anyone who comes to ask for our votes but does not support the ‘Handshake’ between Raila Odinga and President Uhuru Kenyatta should be rest assured that they will fail miserably,” he said.
He also warned local politicians allied to Tanga tanga against using the social media to insult Mombasa Governor Joho, whom he described as a kingpin in Coast politics.
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