March 19, 2024

Civil Societies Oppose Governor’s Plan to Split Coast

Coast Civil Society Organisations activists addressing the media in a Mombasa hotel on Monday. Image; Raymond Mwakwaya

By The Coast Newspaper Team

Coast Civil society organizations have strongly opposed recommendation by Coast governors to divide the region into two political units.

Addressing the media in Mombasa on Monday Coast civil society organization instead stressed the need to strengthen devolution through the existing counties.

In a statement read by Naima Twahir– Shakirina Youth for Development and stressed by the CSO’s Coast Region ChairmanZedekiaAdikathe organization further decried the move saying it’s only meant to achieve selfish gains which will burden the tax payer for no apparent reason.

Coast governors want the region to be sub divided into two political units; upper and lower Coast. 

The move will have Tana River Kilifi and Lamu counties merge into one political unit as lowerwhile Mombasa, Kwale and TaitaTaveta counties form Upper political unit.

The recommendation was tabled by Kilifi governor AmasonKingito the government during the BBI national rally at Mama Ngina water front last month.

The Chairman further castigated the government for taking Kenyans for ride by not distributingcopies of the Building Bridges Initiative to them instead organizing rallies across the country.

According to the activists BBI has failed to meet the reform process and it’s just but a waste of resources.

They termed the process an opaque, rushed and a non-consensual engagement that has severely undermined both the legitimacy of the process itself and its outcomes.

“We declare Devolution (Chapter 11) the Bill of Rights (chapter 4) and nationalvalues and principles of governance (article 10) irreducible minimums and should not be changed by the ongoing BB I consultations,” the advocate added.

Coast Civil Society Organisation members follow through the forum in Mombasa on Monday. Image; Raymond Mwakwaya

Coast Civil Society Organization coordinator Nicholas Songoracalled on the media to join hands and highlight some of the critical issues affecting the region.

Songora insists that the number of unemployed youths has become rampant in the region hence threatening the security of the locals.

“We are here as civil society to see how we can engage the media in forging a common stand. How we can work together for the benefit of the community,” he noted.

Tunaweza Women With Disability Executive director Charity Chahasi speaking to the media in the at the sidelines of the forum. She is flanked by other activists. Image; Raymond Mwakwaya

TunawezaWomen with Disability executive director Charity Chahasi says the current policies do not work in favor of the people living with disability.

According to her, PWD’s cannot access government tenders rendering them to abject poverty.

“We are not given the space as PWDs. We do not have an access to government tenders and most of us live in abject poverty,” Chahasi said.

She says there is need for both county and the national government to empower PWDs.

Among the CSO’s represented in the joint breakfast are Manyatta Youth Entertainment, Kwacha Africa, Pwani Youth Network, Haki Africa, HakiYetu Organization, Stretchers Youth Organization, Kenya Community Support Centre alongside others.

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