Kilifi North MP Owen Baya during a past interview in his office. [Photo/the-star.co.ke]
The push for the secession of Coast region is not aimed at dividing the local communities, Kilifi North MP Owen Baya has said. Speaking during an interview with the Nation on Wednesday, the vocal MP dismissed allegations by Mining Cabinet Secretary Dan Kazungu that the move will cause division among residents in Kilifi. Kazungu said the MP and Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi should unite the people instead of dividing them by calling for the secession of the Coast region.“I want to tell my brother Owen and the governor to unite the people of Kilifi and not split them with their call to secede from the rest of the country. In this critical moment, it is bad for a politician to start talking about division when we need each other,” said KazunguBaya dismissed Kazungu’s remarks arguing that Kingi has united residents in Kilifi thus there was no cause for alarm.The MP further said that the county’s decision to vote for NASA leader Raila Odinga during the August 8 election is a clear indication that residents are united.“Had we been divided, then Jubilee would have carried the day in the August General Election. That did not happen and our people listened to our voice and did what the governor wanted them to do and that is what we call unity," said Baya, as quoted by the local daily.He argued that majority of residents boycotted the repeat presidential election because of the campaigns by opposition leaders urging them not to participate in the polls. Baya hit out at Kazungu and other Jubilee leaders in the region, accusing them of dividing residents by forcing them to join the Uhuru Kenyatta-led party.Baya said he will soon table a bill in Parliament pushing for the secession of the Coast region.