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President Kibaki’s tour of Coast Province has started to bear fruits after Shirikisho party officials said they would back his re-election campaign.
But they gave one condition. That should he be re-elected, the President will pick his principal deputy from Coast Province.
The party’s announcement did not come a surprise to political observers in the region. Its officials made the revelation weeks after they held talks with several other parties including ODM, ODM-Kenya and Narc over the possibility of cooperation.
Transport minister Chirau Mwakwere — also the Shirikisho party leader — told a press conference in Mombasa yesterday that the party’s National Executive Committee and branch leaders from all the districts at the Coast had reached consensus to back the President. The decision was based on the President’s development record in the province, the Matuga MP said.
During the just ended week-long tour of the province, President Kibaki announced the establishment of Pwani University, the creation of Taveta District and the revival of the collapsed Ramisi Sugar Factory among others.
Mr Mwakwere said his party was rooting for a federal system of government (Majimbo) to ensure equitable distribution of resources in all regions.
Appreciate development
“We are glad to announce that SPK has resolved to back President Kibaki for a second term. This is because local leaders and residents at large appreciate the development the Government has injected in the region,” he said.
He also said that their support for the President was of their volition as the Head of State had not approached them for backing.
Mvita MP Najib Balala said he was not surprised that the party had decided to support the President.
Said the MP who was stepped down in the race for the ODM presidential ticket on Saturday: “It was obvious that they would back President Kibaki ... they are desperate to raise their profile and also get money for campaigning. Their move is not based on ideology because the SPK is for devolved government while Kibaki is for central government.”
According to him, SPK “no longer represents the wishes and aspirations of the Coast people” and the vacuum it had left would be filled by ODM, which stands for a devolved system of Government.
Mr Balala said that when he met SPK officials recently, they had tabled “impossible” conditions. One was that all the 21 parliamentary seats in the province be contested by SPK candidates only.
On their demand for the VP’s position if Kibaki wins the elections, Mr Balala said that would not happen. “They should forget the VP’s position... it is impossible ... money they will get but not that seat,” he said on telephone.
With SPK’s position now clear, the main battle for the Coast votes is set to be between the party on which President Kibaki will seek re-election on the one hand and ODM on the other. ODM nominated Lang’ata MP Raila Odinga as its presidential candidate on Saturday.
Mr Mwakwere noted that whereas other former presidents failed to establish a university to the Coast, President Kibaki delivered that among other development issues.
Deserves another term
“Leaders and residents feel that President Kibaki deserves another term because he has implemented a lot of projects for the benefit of locals than any other leader. We want him therefore to retain his seat,” Mr Mwakwere said.
“SPK leaders and residents will throw their weight behind the President for a second term. We call on him to give us the V-P post if all goes well in the polls,” he said.
SPK plans to field parliamentary and civic candidates in all the 21 constituencies in the province.
Party secretary-general Abubakar Yusuf said the party had not had any pact with any other party.
Transport minister Morris Dzoro, who is also the party’s deputy leader, said SPK was not a tribal party as alleged by its critics. And assistant minister Anania Mwaboza said the party aims at capturing seats not only in the region but in other parts of the country as well.
Sheikh Ngao said the party stood for majimbo to enable the region control a big portion of the revenue gathered from the area.
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DAILY NATION
Story by MATHIAS RINGA and EDMUND KWENA
Publication Date: 9/4/2007
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