Mijikenda elders led by Runya Ngamba (C) during a press briefing in Mombasa on Wednesday. [Photo/Maxwell Ngala].
Elders from the Mijikenda community have opposed secession calls by Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho and his Kilifi counterpart Amason Kingi.The leaders said that politicians calling for secession had not consulted the community elders and were fronting for their personal gains.Led by Mijikenda council of elders chairman Runya Ngamba, the elders said they had come out to correct the notion by Governors Joho and Kingi on secession. “Sisi tunaunga mkono umoja wa taifa wala sio Pwani kujitenga.( We support the country’s unity and not the secession of the Coast region),” said Ngamba.The elders have asked politicians pushing for self-rule to seek advice from them on what secession would mean to Coast residents.His sentiments were echoed by Faraj Mwangome who is the chairperson of the Coast Interfaith Council of Clerics (CICC), who urged politicians to unite Kenyans through their political agenda instead of dividing the country through tribal and political boundaries.Mwangome noted that the calls of secession being advocated by Joho and Kingi could lead to bloodshed and disharmony among communities living in the Coast region.He also appealed to President-elect Uhuru Kenyatta to pardon the seven men from Kilifi who were jailed in 2013 for being members of the Mombasa Republican Council (MRC).The seven were linked to the murder of 14 people including six police officers in the Coastal region.On his part, John Munga, the vice chair of Kauma Council of Elders, warned Joho and Kingi against pushing for self-rule, saying the debate might lead to violence and chaos in the region.“This is dangerous talk. The leaders ought to sit together and forge a way forward of developing the region rather than calling for self-rule,” said Munga.