COAST UNITY THE UPHILL TASK,BUT VERY POSSIBLE.

The TUFE MOVEMENT an idea by Governor A.J.Kingi of Kilifi County; Coast region owning a regional political party that leaders will use to champion for our social,economic and political interests national is very possible.

I must acknowledge the Coast Unity talk has been here with us for many years some before we were born the post independence coast region unity talk was already on. Much has been said and done but the bitter truth is the unity of purpose has never been achieved. I will single out the obvious reasons; recycling of selfish leaders,leaders who fear fighting for their people,failure by the educated and middle class to participate and invest in regional politics,failure by the voters to identify their interests as a region and vote in leaders with a message of sending them to go and do what they want-our leaders turn to bosses once elected because the electorates basically don’t know what they want,they don’t full participate in matters of governance and the well-being of their resources. All said and done today I will focus on two things. Why it is absolutely hard to have coast unity unlike in other regions and the only two possible ways of having coast unity and I repeat the ONLY TWO POSSIBLE WAYS OF HAVING COAST UNITY.

Every time one talks of coast unity,the person is either rubbished or assumed to be mad. We have people among us who firmly believe we cannot have one coast with one voice and this is attributed by the fact that Coast region unlike other regions is one homogenous region. Coast is inhabited by many small tribes making the large coast region Taita,Bajun,Oromo,swahili,Arab,Mijikenda being the majority of the inhabitants,if you move few kilometers from Magarini Sub County in Kilifi you may notice that a giriama woman in the same Sub County speak a different language from her neighbor a Oromo woman in Garsen Tana River County. The differences doesn’t end on the language but even some traditions,economic activities and political interests. To bring all these Sub tribes to one table without workable framework is a heavy task that may not see the light of the day anywhere in this planet.

THE ONLY TWO POSSIBLE WAYS TO HAVE COAST UNITY.

The TUFE MOVEMENT should be conducted in the six counties separately . Each county to produce her own County King pin-someone who has the biggest or rather the majority following in the respective county. The six leaders then join hands and make one big leather ball. This will reduce facing opposition when spreading the TUFE MOVEMENT gospel. Leaders of the six counties will feel they were involved and they will own up the initiative,have responsibility to ensure the movement go passed funeral gatherings to the professionals,religious leaders,business community,youth,women,and wazees. Leaders here must sacrifice their personal interests and be able to choose one leader who will represent the entire region.

Second and last option; politics like business is about interests and taking risks,the MIJIKENDA can take a political risk and choose to unite as Mijikenda. This will face opposition from our all time landlords,but it must be known in Kenya political parties are not built based on ideology but purely on tribes and regions. Am not encouraging tribalism but there comes a time when what MUST BE DONE MUST BE DONE. We encourage the others to choose either to join us in Kitchen  now or join us on the table when the food is ready.

Am not a prophet but unless we choose either of the two options the Coast Unity may remain to be a white elephant project in the sea!!