Two coast MPs seek Joho, Balala reconciliation

By Patrick Beja

Two Coast MPs want Muslim leaders from Mombasa to reconcile Mvita MP Najib Balala and his Kisauni counterpart Hassan Joho.

Kinango MP Gonzi Rai and Galole MP Dhado Godhana said a ceasefire between the two would be for the benefit of residents.

They asked Mr Balala and Mr Joho, the ODM, to focus on development instead of politicking.

They dismissed the two successive political rallies in Tononoka and Mvita grounds as revolving around the war between Balala and Joho.

Mr Rai said for the past months Coastal issues have been ignored and attention focused on the Balala-Joho power wrangles.

"It is time these leaders focused on development and we request Muslim leaders to reconcile them, " said the Lands Assistant Minister at Mwangoni Primary.

He asked the Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya to intervene.

"There is need for the two to go slow on the matter because after all they represent just a minority of the residents of Coast. Why should they claim the region’s mantle?" Rai wondered.

Mr Godana said it is the two politicians, who should have the region’s welfare at heart instead of aspiring to displace one another within ODM.

"Their competition is undermining development efforts," said the assistant minister for Information and Communication.

More than 40 MPs at the weekend attended a fundraiser at Balala’s Mvita constituency. It was a public show of might against Prime Minister Raila Odinga who held a rally at the same venue two weeks ago.

Some in the crowd talked of preparations for Kibaki succession in 2012, but the leaders insisted there was no political union in the making.