Current talk of secession a thin cry for inclusivity

Coast Members of Parliament led by Governor Amason Kingi (right) and his Mombasa Counterpart Hassan Ali Joho (left) address journalists where they initiated plans for secession from the Kenyan government, November 03, 2017. They said the previous governments and the current one has marginalized Coast people and there was no need to govern them. Centre is Senator Stewart Madzayo, Kilifi County.

The debate about coastal secession is a cry for inclusion rather than exclusion. It bears more national, rather than regional impulses, and is informed, not by history, but by recent experiences, especially common perceptions of how political representation and redistribution actually works in Kenya.

In sum, it is the result of the failure by Kenya’s current presidential system of governance in capturing the aspirations of a multi-ethnic society.