Mijikenda Elders Disown Joho’s Secession Calls

Mijikenda Community Council of Elders have disowned calls for secession of the coast region started by Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho and his Kilifi counterpart Amason Kingi.

Speaking following a meeting at Mtwapa on Wednesday, the elders accused the two governors of disrespect for rekindling calls for separation of the coast region without consulting them.

Joho and Kingi, both Mijikenda should have engaged the elders as their Tradition requires, before arriving at the decision to push for secession, the elders said.

The elders said Joho and Kingi failed to consult them before they announced intention to push for breakaway of coast from the rest of Kenya and asked Kenyans to ignore the two leaders. “We treat their call as that meant for personal gains. We are not part of it because we were not consulted,” Mijikenda Council of Elders chairman Daniel Gamba said.

“We support a united Kenya and not Coast secession,” Gamba added.

The elders called on political leaders to commit to promoting unity and not divisions along political boundaries.

Elders from seven sub-tribes of the Mijikenda were represented in the meeting.

Kauma Council of Elders vice chairman John Munga said the two governors should be barred from speaking about secession.

“It is a dangerous talk. The leaders ought to sit together and forge a way forward of developing the region rather than calling for self-rule,” Munga said.

“We have seen secession agitation before and it led to bloodshed and disharmony,” Faraj Mwangome, another elder said.

Last week, Joho and his team vowed to push for secession of the region, saying current and past governments have sidelined the coast in development and consideration for leadership positions.