Kilifi North MP Owen Baya during a past interview in his office.[Photo/the-star.co.ke]
The push for the secession of the Coast region does not reflect the agenda of the Mombasa Republican Council (MRC), Kilifi North MP Owen Baya has said. Baya said that the Council will not influence the tabling of the motion in parliament in any way.Addressing journalists at his office in Kilifi, Baya said Coast residents have been sidelined for a long time, adding that time has come to liberate them from poverty. “The Bill is not in any way related to the MRC. Though the MRC had a similar call, they were not using the right channels. I don’t believe in violence.The Constitution gives me the power to lobby for the region to manage its own affairs,” said Baya, as quoted by The Star.This comes after a section of ODM leaders in Kilifi threatened to push for the secession of the Coast region if the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) fails to heed to NASA’s demands.The leaders have maintained that secession is among the best ways to deal with the current political temperatures being witnessed in the country. Baya said residents in the Coast region have been marginalised by past governments, adding that they cannot afford to remain in the opposition for another five years.