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A section of Members of Parliament from the Coast region has endorsed former Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho as their preferred political kingpin and subsequently vowing to overwhelmingly support his 2027 presidential quest.

The latest to endorse Joho as the regional kingpin is Coast Parliamentary Group (CPG) chairman and Wundanyi MP Danson Mwashako, who said the former governor has demonstrated the political zeal and will to lead regional unity and prosperity of the country.

Coast Parliamentary Group is a caucus that brings together 42 MPs from the six coastal counties and which is chaired by Mwashako. With the backing of CPG, it means Joho has a majority of legislators backing his political plan.

“Coast has made a declaration. This time we are not going to be divided, we have endorsed our own, and any leader who goes against, we will ask people to vote them out,” Mwashako said.

Speaking in Taru, Kwale on Monday during a food distribution exercise, which was attended by a host of legislators from across the Coast region, Mwashako asked all the legislators under the CPG umbrella to remain united and front Joho as their preferred presidential candidate in the next polls.

“We are telling party leader Raila Odinga, don’t think twice, we as Coast region have endorsed Joho for party leader, and we know he is able to fly the ODM flag to State House,” said Mwashako.

The event was attended by MPs Gonzi Rai (Kinango), Mohamed Machele (Mvita), John Bwire (Taveta), Mishi Mboko (Likoni) and Kwale Women Rep Fatuma Masito and her Mombasa colleague Zamzam Mohamed and Kwale Senator Issa Juma Boy, among other leaders.

“We have had selfish leaders before who have been pushing their own interests. This time Joho has presented himself. Who are we to deny him the support. We have agreed as a region to front Joho,” said Kwale MP Gonzi Rai, who was elected on Pamoja Africa Alliance (PAA) ticket.

Joho, who accepted the endorsement, rallied the regional leaders to stay united for the course, declaring that he will not step back until he becomes president.

Joho who has declared to vie for presidency in the 2027 General Election, has almost all the backing of coastal MPs after traversing the entire coastal strip from Taita Taveta to Lamu rallying for support. “I have declared am ready for the presidential bid, many people are discouraging us, but am telling you, this time, we are not changing our mind, we must be counted in the country politics, we will go every remote village sensitizing our people, then we go to the entire country and talk to people, “said Joho.

Joho has already made a declaration and says for years, the region has supported other people, but in the 2027 elections, Joho will lead the region to top leadership to claim their space. Joho has backed Raila Odinga for all the presidential contests.

“People will come to divide us; we must be coast natives first, irrespective of our parties, if we put that in mind, we will not be divided, for many times we have been followers of other people. Now, it is time for them to follow us,” said Joho.

He added: “We are with you in your endeavors, we have crowned you our king because no one else has shown interest in vying for the president from the coastal region, because you defended the port, you defended the affairs of the region,” said Masito.

Last week, during a similar food distribution event in Kilifi county for Muslims during the Holy Month of Ramadhan at Nidhamia Hall in Malindi, the area leaders endorsed Joho’s plan to contest for presidency.
They included vocal Malindi MP Amina Mnyazi, Kilifi Senator Stewart Madzayo, Kwale Senator Boy Juma Boy, Mombasa Senator Mohamed Faki, Kilifi Woman Rep Getrude Mbeyu, Mombasa Woman Rep Zamzam Mohamed, MPs Mishi Mboko, Rashid Benzimba (Kisauni), Harrison Kombe (Magarini) and Mvita MP Machele Mohamed.

Kilifi Senator Stewart Madzayo, Madzayo said the coast is ripe to produce a presidential candidate asking residents not to be divided along political lines in future, for the sake of the regions’ unity.

Madzayo, a close ally of Joho, expressed hopes that if Orange democratic Movement leader Raila goes to the African Union Commission, he should be succeeded by the former Mombasa Governor.
“Of all those who want to succeed Raila, no one matches Joho, no one. So, all of us as brothers let us unite and ensure we support Joho,” he said.