Governor Amason Kingi is the spokesman of the Miji Kenda community, several leaders from Kilifi and Kwale have declared.
The MPs and MCAs from Lamu and Tana River perceived to be allied to Deputy President William Ruto accused Mombasa Governor Hassan Ali Joho of entering political alliances with politicians outside Coast region before consulting them.
On Sunday, Mr Kingi hosted eight MPs at a cultural fete in Kilifi where Mr Joho was criticised. The MPs, most of who were voted in on an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party ticket last year, have said they support Kingi and Mr Ruto.
"The other man has failed to unite the region. He has started talks with leaders from other regions without involving us," said Kilifi North MP Owen Baya.
The leaders claimed that Joho could not speak for the community because he was not an ethnic Miji Kenda like Kingi.
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Fostering unity
Kingi steered clear of the exhortations and instead said he was keen on fostering the unity and socio-economic development of all Coast residents.
He promised to reach out to all leaders in his quest for unity.
“Time has come for the Coast community to work together. We will not gain anything if we remain divided," he said.
He appealed to Kaya elders to organise cultural events to rekindle the community’s sense of unity.
Yesterday, Joho’s spokesman Richard Chacha accused the legislators of sowing discord between the two governors. Mr Chacha accused the MPs of reducing Joho and Kingi to regional and tribal players when both governors were acclaimed national figures.
He said Joho had no interest in tribal and regional leadership and had declared an interest in the presidency.
“Joho is not looking for a space to be a regional spokesman. He wants to be the president of this country in 2022. As such, he should not be equated with leaders who want to regional kingpins,” said Chacha.
He added that it was a fact Joho came from the Coast region and enjoyed national appeal.
Working together
“However what I know is that Joho and Kingi are not in competition. They are working together for a common interest,” said Chacha
A fortnight ago, Joho and Kingi met over 200 MCAs in Mombasa, where they announced a political truce and vowed to work together.
Joho and Kingi have both declared an interest in the presidency in 2022 and appeared to drift apart after the March 9 handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition leader Raila Odinga.
