Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho and his Kilifi counterpart Amason Kingi at a past event. [Photo|kahawatungu.com]
A former presidential candidate has defended call for secession by a section of Coast politicians.
Michael Wainaina, who vied as an independent candidate during the August and October polls, said though call for secession is a fairly new way of engaging in Kenya, it is common throughout the world.
"If I lived in a country where I felt, rightly or wrongly, that my rights and opportunities were curtailed, I would want to have the right to explore other options, secession included. I, therefore, see nothing wrong with whoever is talking secession," he said.
Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho and his Kilifi counterpart Amason Kingi with the support of various MPs from the Coast have been calling for the secession of the region from Kenya.
The politicians argue that past regimes have marginalised the Coast, thus seeking secession from the country that gained its independence 54 years ago.
President Uhuru Kenyatta, however, has warned the leaders of stern action for propagating the politics of division instead of unity.
In an article published by Saturday Nation, Wainaina said the call for unity is as democratic as the call for secession.
"I feel those reacting negatively to the call are doing so more from fear of the unknown. We must realise that all over the world, secession and talk of secession are legitimate avenues for those who feel marginalised in all sorts of ways," he noted.
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