Coast residents tackle thorny voting issue

Who should vote or vie during the proposed regional assemblies in the harmonized draft constitution polls?

That was a question that exploded like a bomb bringing heated debate between Coast province people and their upcountry colleagues residing in the region at a forum called to discuss the harmonized draft constitution in Mombasa’s Whitesands Hotel on Monday.

Coast residents including Kaya, youth and women leaders at the forum stressed that upcountry people should keep off from their region’s regional assembly elections.

They stressed that any person with his or her roots outside the province should not either vote or contest any seat once their region’s assembly elections are called.

“Devolution means indigenous people benefit from resources and other opportunities found in their region why should they (upcountry people) vote or vie for a post meant for one of us at regional assembly. That’s impossible,” Ms Nariman Rahim declared.

Mzee Pekeshe Deche, a Kaya leader told the forum that it is right time for new constitution delivers the federal system of governance that the Coast people have asked for decades.

He added that allowing “outsiders” to either vote or elected at regional assembly will tantamount to denying region’s youngsters opportunity to explore their leadership talents.

“We should not shatter the long time dreams and aspiration of our heroes the late Ronald Ngala and Shariff Nassir who championed the establishment of federal government (majimbo) government until death,” said Mzee Deche.