President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar in the past [Photo/ Uhuru Kenyatta]
As President Uhuru Kenyatta starts his second and final term at the helm of the country's leadership, he faces an uphill task in securing his legacy when his tenure comes to an end. And with 2022 politics already in his political equation, balancing the two will prove to be his uphill task.Uhuru's biggest dilemma comes the Coast, the region that has felt marginalized in the country's political leadership for half a century.
Led by Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho and his Kilifi counterpart Amason Kingi, the region has even threatened to secede.
However, Uhuru has opportunity to address the region's grievances.
Coast region's biggest problem is land ownership with residents rendered squatters in their own land. To solve the problem, Uhuru may be forced to appoint someone from the Coast with a proven track record to handle the thorny land question . Former Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar is touted as the regions 'Saviour' and 'Black Messiah'.
Should Omar make it to the final Uhuru Cabinet, the President would have made a name for himself in the region that is facing a myriad of challenges.
But Uhuru faces a fresh dilemma: the 2022 political game where he is expected to back his number two: William Ruto.
With Joho's keen to make a stab at the Presidency, he is most likely going to pose a challenge that could handicap his quest to lead the country.
As such, the President may have to appoint a politician with some political clout to water down Joho's influence.
This rules out Omar who has failed to contain Joho politically.
The situation is not any different in the rest of Coastal counties where the President will have to choose between politicians and technocrats with both his legacy and succession in mind.