Jubilee leaders: Raila 'can't solve' Coast problems

Majority Leader in the National Assembly Aden Duale (left) addresses Jubilee Supporters at Malindi in Kilifi County on Sunday 26th March 2017. Photo/Kelvin Karani

Jubilee leaders at the Coast sustained their onslaught against ODM leader Raila Odinga, saying he has no concrete ideas to solve historical injustices in the region.

They also accused the National Super Alliance (NASA) of plotting to violate the Constitution by proposing to establish a parallel vote tallying centre and added that Raila did not resolve the land problem at the Coast when he was in the government.

Jubilee leaders held a rally in Malindi to rival another one held by Raila in Mombasa. Deputy President William Ruto, who was expected at the Malindi rally, did not attend.

National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale and other Jubilee leaders asked Coast people to back President Uhuru Kenyatta’s re-election bid.

Mr Duale said Jubilee still enjoyed the “tyranny of numbers” and claimed that Uhuru would beat the opposition in the presidential election by more than three million votes in the August 8 polls.

He said Raila had lost most of his allies at the Coast, citing the defection of NASA leaders in Tana River, Kwale, and Taita Taveta to Jubilee as a sign of a major political shift in the region.

“He (Raila) has failed to enumerate his agenda and all he has continuously done is to lament over the problems even those that Jubilee has resolved. He will see tarmac and tell Kenyans that it will soon have potholes,” said Duale.

The rally was attended by several Jubilee leaders including Mining Cabinet Secretary Dan Kazungu and his Devolution counterpart, Mwangi Kiunjuri.

Tana River County Governor Hussein Dado, who defected to Jubilee two weeks ago, said in the past four years the Coast region had witnessed fast infrastructure expansion and genuine efforts to solve the perennial land problem.

He dismissed opposition leaders’ concerns over the country’s soaring debt saying no country can develop without borrowing.

“...the Uhuru’s government is paying loans secured by his father, President (Daniel) Moi and (Mwai) Kibaki including those secured during the grand coalition government. A country must borrow to develop its infrastructure as a base for economic takeoff,” said Dado.

He urged the Interior Ministry to lift the ban on night fishing in Lamu County, saying it had affected the economy of Lamu and Tana River.

“I joined Jubilee with all my MCAs, the senator, and woman rep because we are confident that is the only way to foster unity and achieve development. Unlike the other side Jubilee has direction,” said Mr Dado.

Kilifi MP Gideon Mung’aro said: “Kilifi is controlled or ruled from Mombasa by a sultan. On August 8 we will liberate our people so that they can make decisions on how to use their funds to develop the county.”

He accused Governors Hassan Joho (Mombasa) and Amason Kingi (Kilifi) of using Raila as a shield to avoid being held to account on the use of public funds in the past four years.

Munga’ro cited the upgrading of the Madogo–Bura–Hola road, improvement of Charedende–Bura road, and the construction of the 110km Malindi–Kakokeni–Sala Gate road as some of the projects Jubile administration has done for the region.

“Those asking what we have achieved since we joined the government of President Uhuru Kenyatta should see the number of roads currently under construction. We ask the Kilifi governor to show us the project he has implemented in the past four years,” he said.

 Taita Taveta Woman Representative Joyce Lay said Coast people were tired of rhetoric and tales of how the region has been marginalised and challenged NASA to come up with solutions.