Suleiman Shahbal (left) and his running mate during campaigns. [PHOTO:Facebook.com/SULEIMAN SHAHBAL]
Former Mombasa gubernatorial aspirant Suleiman Shahbal has labeled Governor Hassan Joho’s Coast region secession call "nonsense", telling residents to ignore the idea.
Joho on Friday addressed a press conference in Mombasa and launched his push for the region that heavily relies on tourism to secede citing marginalization from the national government.
“Ignore secession nonsense being propagated by some two leaders. It is a continuation of unnecessary political noise which has become their style of politics,” Shahbal said shortly after Joho’s declaration.
“Instead of focusing their attention on important issues and using their time in office to help improve the lives of our people, they are busy calling press conference talking about issues they don't understand and issues they are incompetent to articulate! What do they know about secession?”
Joho at the presser had said Coast region has for years been marginalized and it was high time the region breaks away to pursue its own future.
“We wish to state that since independence, successive governments have marginalized and to date continue to marginalize and oppress our people. Therefore, such governments have no moral authority to govern us. It is no longer feasible for us as a people to continue in a country that does not recognise our aspirations as legitimate,” he said flanked by Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi and Mvita MP Abdilswamad Nassir.
“We, therefore, wish to announce the beginning of the consultative process towards secession of the Coast region.”
Shahbal and Joho differed two days after Kilifi MP Owen Baya defended the push for Coast secession saying it is not meant to divide people from the region that borders the Indian Ocean.
Baya said on that residents’ unity was evident when they overwhelmingly voted for NASA leader Raila Odinga during the August 8 general election.
“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.”
He said his call to break away was not in any way related to views of the Mombasa Republican Council (MRC).
On Saturday, Chief of Defence Forces General Samson Mwathethe warned that secession calls have far-reaching effects and should not be discussed at a time the country is deeply divided.