Two Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) legislators have termed President’s Uhuru Kenyatta long stay in Coast as inconsequential to the politics of the region.
Nominated senator Agnes Zani and Zuleikha Juma see the trip by the President as a ploy by Jubilee to win the Malindi National Assembly seat that was left vacant after its former MP Dan Kazungu of ODM was appointed to Uhuru’s cabinet.
The two said in Diani yesterday that the President has spent most of his time in Coast since December strategizing to capture Malindi seat from ODM which is affiliated to Cord coalition but termed the move as one which will shock him (President) after Cord retains it.
“Coast people have not seen a single reason to support Jubilee government because since independence their land issues among others have not been solved. It is three years since Jubilee took over leadership and not even a single step taken to help Coast people,” said nominated senator Zani.
Nominated MP Zuleikha Juma said Coast region is still an opposition zone whether the President likes it or not and that his long stay will achieve nothing.
Zuleikha is also campaigning for the Kwale County MP seat that is currently being held by Zainab Chidzuga who is regarded as an ODM rebel.
“We know it is all about the Malindi by-election which ODM is taking and even Kilifi MPs who have joined Jubilee have admitted it is not easy to sell their candidate there because it is an opposition zone,” said Juma.
The two said that Cord leadership is not shaken by Uhuru long stay in the region since he has not brought anything substantial that coast locals can feel it to justify their support to JAP.
“He has not brought anything to the people down here. Waitiki land title leases are nothing because Coast problems are still there since he got leadership. The ground is still in CORD. Coast is going to continue supporting opposition and will be intact in CORD come 2017,” noted Zani.
Zani who is also the ODM’s deputy secretary general argued that the president can tour any region of his choice like other Kenyans but citizens are tired with his development and political agenda.
She added that the current regime has been clouded by worst scandals never seen before.
“A good example is the Euro bond which we want it to be fully accounted for because it will be repaid by our generation to come although it has not brought any development,” she said.
She said the fight against corruption should be done nationally and internationally like what Tanzania has done to fight the vice.
Juma said that coast people cannot be lured by the president because of his long stay in the region which has not impacted anything to local mwananchi.
“Street light project is nothing if insecurity is still high in the coast region. The president should not think he can ride on us easily. Light cannot pay school fees and bring food on the table. We know projects which can help people,” said Juma.
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She said reviving of factories in the coastal region is the most important thing that the current leadership should have done but failed.
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