Coast governors meet to pick presidential bidder
By Reuben Mwambingu, February 11, 2021
Reuben Mwambingu @reubenmwambingu
Coast governors yesterday kicked off a series of meetings in what they said is the beginning of an unstoppable journey aimed at ensuring the region fronts a presidential candidate in next year’s General Election.
They said this time round they will ensure the region’s political voice is resoundingly echoed across national politics come 2022.
Speaking after hosting his three counterparts — Hassan Joho (Mombasa), Amason Kingi (Kilifi) and Godhana Dadho of Tana River — in a high-level consultative forum, Taita Taveta’s Granton Samboja said the leadership was keen to ensure regional leaders played a key role at the national level.
“We have unanimously agreed this time round we shall not be part of the menu, but we shall instead sit on the main table where country’s political and development agendas will be discussed. And we have agreed we will lead our people from the front,” said Samboja.
He insisted it is time for other politicians to return the favour by supporting a leader from the Coast. “We have agreed all those who we have supported, the time for returning favour is now.”
The governors met amid a clamour for leaders from the Coast to found a political party for the region and identify one of theirs to run for the presidency.
Last month, Joho insisted his quest to go for presidency in 2022 will be unstoppable and adding time has come for ODM leader Raila Odinga to return favour and back him.
The leaders are expected to meet again in two weeks, according to Samboja.