Governor Kingi claims his party is best for Coast

Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi at a past function in Mtwapa, Kilifi County early this year. [Kelvin Karani, Standard]

Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi has termed his Pamoja African Alliance party as the saviour of the Coast region’s political future as he seeks to become the regions political kingpin.

Mr Kingi, who is serving his final term, insists that he is not going to vie for any political position under PAA in the August 9 elections but his party is partnering with the Azimio La Umoja movement to campaign for Orange Democratic Movement leader Raila Odinga’s fifth stab at the presidency.

According to Kingi, the region that is perceived to have strongly rallied behind Mr Raila in the past was heading towards political oblivion after Raila retires from politics.

“Politics in the country is changing and people from various regions are positioning themselves to be at the national negotiating table. As a region, Coast has always been represented at the table by Raila Odinga but we have not benefited as much since the ODM party will first take care of their interest before thinking about us,” he says.

Kingi was bundled out of the Kilifi ODM leadership after he formed his party and was replaced by Ganze MP Teddy Mwambire as the ODM chairman in the County. The governor has been able to marshal at least 23 MCAs out of the 53 in the county to his side. This gives him a head start to face-off with ODM. However, the ODM fraternity has not taken the challenge lying down and has promised PAA a run for their money.

Fikirini Jacobs who is the ODM youth leader in Kilifi and the National youth leader for the Azimio la Umoja movement says that PAA is a briefcase party being supported by some county contractors and suppliers. He adds that ODM is still the most preferred political party for Kilifi residents because of its ideologies and manifesto that rhymes with the aspirations of Coastal residents.

Ganze MP Teddy Mwambire said Kingi has failed to garner support even after PAA was officially registered as a party and has only been concentrating in Kilifi. Mwambire adds that Kingi’s popularity was at its peak when he was in ODM but since he left, he has ruined his political future.