Monday, August 20, 2007

Party rules out Coast unity talks


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The Shirikisho Party of Kenya (SPK) has ruled out meetings of all Coast Province MPs to map out the region’s political future.

Party leader Mr Chirau Ali Mwakwere said Coast MPs would not convene such talks as the original plan was for all legislators in the region to join Shirikisho.
"We called meetings of all MPs to decide the destiny of Coast Province long before MPs from other regions did so. But some of our MPs boycotted such meetings while others refused to move with us to Shirikisho," Mwakwere said on Sunday.

Mwakwere has sharply differed with National Heritage minister Mr Suleiman Shakombo, who heads the Narc Kenya team at the Coast.
He has also differed with ODM presidential aspirant Mr Najib Balala. Mwakwere recently ditched Narc-Kenya for Shirikisho, together with Tourism and Wildlife minister Mr Morris Dzoro, Msambweni MP Mr Abdalla Ngozi and Assistant ministers Mr Joseph Kingi and Mr Anania Mwaboza.
Party resolved to amend constitution

In an interview, Mwakwere said those who wanted the region to unite should join his party. He was reacting to ongoing meetings among MPs and influential politicians in Western and Rift Valley provinces to find a common alliance ahead of the General Election.
Mwakwere, who is the Matuga MP, said it was unlikely for local MPs to come together unless they all joined Shirikisho. "Instead of going back to meetings, we are soldiering on and those who want the region to speak with one voice should move to Shirikisho," Mwakwere said.
He claimed MPs who refused to move to Shirikisho betrayed the Coastal people and should wait to be rejected through the ballot box.

Meanwhile, Shirikisho resolved to amend its constitution to allow the creation of the posts of party leader and deputy, during the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.
The two positions, held by Mwakwere and Dzoro, are not in the party’s constitution and have been the subject of debate.

The party’s Secretary-General, Mr Yusuf Abubakar, said the NEC meeting held at Hotel Dolce, Mombasa, resolved to amend the constitution to put to an end the wrangles over claims that the two positions were created exclusively for the Cabinet ministers.
Story by
Patrick Beja and
Ngumbao Kithi .

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