Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho has emerged as the coastal political point man. Joho's rise to prominence has made several people allege that he is capitalizing on Coast problems to gain political mileage.
His rival, Senator Hassan Omar, recently claimed that Mombasa County is captive to an invisible governor.
“Right now the county has been personalized; it has become a franchise, it’s captive to invisible interests, captive to an invisible governor, captive to cartels, nepotism, driven by acute greed and exclusion,” said Omar.
However, political captivity is what has saved regions like Nyanza and parts of Rift Valley from open marginalisation.
The coast region needs political captivity to progress before the country's democracy matures which will definitely take decades.
Despite the fact that political gods curtail democratic progress, they are important to marginalised groups.
If Joho's captivity will solve coastal land problems, alleviate poverty, reduce drug abuse and trafficking, stop radicalisation, champion for gender equality, create employment opportunities, promote local culture and reduce economic sabotage among others; which reason do you have to oppose it?
You need to support Joho's rise because it is the most suitable answer to coastal problems.
Whether people term it as captivity, slavery or any other terminology they deem fit, this is a necessary condition for the region.
If you lack a strong political mouthpiece you will never break from the yoke of marginalisation.