Coast MPs to meet over ‘threat’ letters

Lunga Lunga MP Khatib Mwashetani (center) celebrates with supporters outside Malindi Law Courts on November 27, 2013 soon after the Court of Appeal declared that he was validly elected. He is among those who have received warning letters. PHOTO | FILE  NATION MEDIA GROUP

In Summary

• The woes facing the region’s leadership, according to Mr Shehe, are due to the fact that they do not have a principal in the mainstream parties despite their huge numbers.
• Last Wednesday, the three main parties in the Cord coalition summoned their purported rebels for a dressing down with claims that three leaders -- Lunga Lunga MP Khatib Mwashetani (Ford-K), Kwale Women’s Representative Zainab Chidzuga and her Kilifi counterpart Aisha Jumwa Katana -- had received letters.

By MWAKERA MWAJEFA
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Coast ODM MPs will meet in two weeks to chart the way forward after some MPs allegedly received warning letters from the party’s leadership.

Kaloleni MP Chea Gunga Muinga (Kadu-Asili) told the Sunday Nation in a telephone interview that he had seen one of the letters addressed to an MP.

 

“I have seen one of these letters with a resolution that gives the ODM leader the powers to directly discipline errant leaders not toeing the party line,” he claims.

But he criticised the way the Cord coalition is treating the perceived rebels, which he says is reminiscent of the Kanu era when perceived party rebels were humiliated in the public to teach them a lesson.

The MP, who is also a lawyer, says the Coast Parliamentary Group will be meeting in the next two weeks to deliberate on the new development.

“No amount of intimidation will cow the Coast leadership to submit to blackmail into supporting any forces applying the divide-and-rule tactics to kill democracy and region’s unity,” he said.

Last Wednesday, the three main parties in the Cord coalition summoned their purported rebels for a dressing down with claims that three leaders -- Lunga Lunga MP Khatib Mwashetani (Ford-K), Kwale Women’s Representative Zainab Chidzuga and her Kilifi counterpart Aisha Jumwa Katana -- had received letters.

Contacted on the phone, the outspoken Ms Katana denied receiving any letter but said some leaders had been advised to desist from working with the Jubilee government.
“I have not received any warning letter, but why should it be there when none of the Coast ODM leaders has done anything wrong,” asked Ms Katana.

“Let me tell you here and now that our resolve to work together will not be shaken by anybody within or without the region.”

Ganze MP Peter Shehe (Federal Party of Kenya) says the removal of Kilifi North MP Gideon Mung’aro as Minority Chief Whip will not affect his position as the chairman of the Coast Parliamentary Group.

DO NOT HAVE A PRINCIPAL

The woes facing the region’s leadership, according to Mr Shehe, are due to the fact that they do not have a principal in the mainstream parties despite their huge numbers.

“Look at Wiper or Ford-K’s performance in the last General Election; it is negligible compared to the Coast region numbers, but because of their principals - Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetang’ula - they have a say in the coalition,” he said.

Expressing disappointment with those opposing President Kenyatta for revoking Lamu land titles, Mr Shehe wants Lands Secretary Charity Ngilu to cast her net wider to include the Dongo Kundu project in Mombasa County to expose those who have grabbed parcels of land between 1,000 and 2,000 acres.

Pwani University Prof Halimu Suleiman Shauri believes the reason Coast leadership is having problems with their sponsoring parties is because of what he termed “stomach politics”.
According to him, there is no elected leader in the region who has shown intent to address the region’s challenges.

“From Lunga Lunga to Lamu, from Mombasa to Taveta; you name it and show me a leader who has changed the destiny of his or her people since March last year,” he said.
Because of the personal ambitions and selfish tendencies of the leaders, Prof Shauri said, the region is endowed with natural resources but this wealth only benefits outsiders.