Kilifi, KENYA: Kilifi North Member of Parliament Owen Baya has vowed to table a bill on the secession of the Coast Region.
He said the move is as a result of the leadership system in Kenya that has for a long time since independence, discriminated upon the coast region.
Speaking in Mwarakaya and Madunguni consecutively on rallies aimed at convincing residents of Kilifi County to boycott the 26th October scheduled repeat presidential elections, Baya said time has come for the coast to part ways with Kenya citing the history of colonial rule.
“I think we all know the history of the Coast and colonial rule very well,” Baya said.
“The coastal strip was never colonized by the British and was regarded as a protectorate under the rule of Sultan. We came together with Kenya in aid of ending colonial rule, and we were to part ways immediately after the independence but that never happened,” he added.
He said poor leadership in Kenya where the will of the people is never put into consideration, is the main reason for calling for secession.
“We have seen the discrimination that the national government has been doing to the coastal people in terms of distribution of resources,” Baya said.
“Look, the will of the people in terms of elections has been violated for many years and that is something we cannot take any more. As a result, I have already begun and nearing completion of a bill which I will table sooner than later in parliament seeking for secession,” he added.
However, Kilifi governor Amason Kingi said the process will follow the rule of the law in accordance with the constitution which allows for secession should people feel dissatisfied and their interests are not taken care of, can write to United Nations, the African Union and the local parliament seeking secession.
“We will take on this process in accordance with the law because it allowed in the constitution,” Kingi said.
“This is the only way the coast people will get justice and equal distribution of resources,” he added.
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