Members of Parliament from the Coast region who support the broad-based government want Mining and Blue Economy Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho to be included in the pre-coalition talks between the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).

While speaking during a press briefing on Thursday, January 15, 2025, the Coast MPs said their “son”, Joho, must be included and present during the coalition talks as a representative of the Coast region.

“The parties that are going to be present during the UDA-ODM talks – Ali Hassan Joho must be present at that table, and that is not negotiable,” Kilifi South MP Ken Chonga stated.

MP Chonga argued that the Coast region has contributed heavily to the ODM party and that it is only wise for a representative from the region to be present to champion the interests of the coastal populace.

Likoni MP Mishi Mboko echoed the same sentiments, stating that for meaningful talks to take place, all concerned parties must be represented. She noted that in negotiations involving ODM and UDA, a representative from the Coast region must be included.

“Tunaunga mkono masuala yote ya kuzungumza. Lazima watu wazungumze. Hakuna chama kimoja ambacho kinaweza kuunga serikali au utawala bila kushikana na vyama vingine. Hilo ni jambo ambalo liko wazi,” Mboko said.

Hassan Joho was one of the deputy party leaders of the Orange Democratic Movement before resigning from the position and joining the Cabinet, as required by the Constitution, which bars Cabinet Secretaries from holding party leadership positions.

ODM-UDA coalition proposal

This follows the ODM Central Management Committee meeting in Vipingo, Kilifi County, which was led by Oburu Odinga. Among the many issues discussed, a key resolution was that the party should begin pre-coalition talks with other parties, particularly President William Ruto’s UDA, to determine how ODM will position itself for 2027.

The party commenced public engagements, with the first public rally taking place in the Kibra and Kamkunji constituencies. These engagements will culminate in a National Delegate Conference (NDC), the party’s highest decision-making body, which will formally endorse the outcomes of the engagements and the party leader’s position.

ODM MPs support the move

This move was also welcomed and rubber-stamped by a section of MPs drawn from the Orange party, led by Ruaraka MP Tom Joseph Kajwang, Makadara MP George Aladwa, Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma, and others.

They praised the decision while warning Secretary General Edwin Sifuna that he risks losing his SG position should he fail to toe the party line.

Eddy Oketch has also come out to support the resolve by his Orange Party to begin pre-coalition talks with the UDA party.

This is not the first time for coastal MPs to come out and champion for Hassan Joho’s political intrest, in 2024 the same caucus endorsed him as their kingpin and vowed to support his 2027 presidential quest.