After struggling with limited resources to get fully registered, three Coast-based political parties are planning to form an alliance to stave off competition for the region.
Some senior officials of Shirikisho Party of Kenya (SPK), Kadu Asili and Chama Cha Uzalendo (CCU) met last weekend at a Mombasa hotel to discuss how they can form a political alliance.
The three parties, which have since their inception lacked the financial muscle as well as popular support in the region may now receive the backing of Coast professionals under the Coast People’s Forum (CPF) to build support for members’ recruitment.
The parties, through CPF, want to take advantage of the elective positions that would be available in the coming General Election under the devolved government to get positions of power at the county and national level.
“We have agreed to work together to benefit the Coast people,” SPK national organising secretary Adam Mbeto told The Standard On Sunday.
Mr Mbeto said there would be a series of meetings involving the parties and CPF to agree on fielding a single candidate each for the positions of governor, senator, MP and county representative.
“We seek to unite first and be strong on the ground before seeking to work with other political parties outside the region,” he said.
However, Ganze MP Francis Baya (Kadu-Asili), who was not invited to the meeting, dismissed attempts to merge the parties as a “hopeless effort”.
He said the leadership of the parties needs to be changed so that they can have serious politicians with financial resources.
“The CPF should also stop leaning on one political side,” Baya said, adding that when it comes to elections, people would definitely go for personalities and not necessarily for a candidate from the SPK or Kadu-Asili just because they are Coast-based.
He said Environment minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere left SPK “leaving it a shell” and has since identified himself with Eldoret North MP William Ruto’s United Republican Party.
However, CPF chairman Emmanuel Nzai was upbeat about the meeting between the three political parties.
