Hell to pay if ban on ‘Republican’ not lifted

In the first of the Face The People series, OMAR MWAMNUADZI, chairman of the secessionist Mombasa Republican Council (MRC) fields questions from Nation’s Provincial News Editor Mark Agutu

What is MRC? Is it a party, a rebel group or what?

It is none of those. Mombasa Republican Council is a movement for the liberation of the Coast region.

What triggered the formation of MRC?

MRC came into being after a chain of historical events that started when the Government of Kenya under Mzee Jomo Kenyatta broke an agreement it signed with a group of Coastal leaders led by Ronald Ngala, who were then in Kadu, and were agitating for the rights of the Coast people.

When Ngala died, the remaining Kadu leaders were lured to join Kanu and no one was left to advance the cause for the rights of the Coastal people, leaving them marginalised.

The marginalisation made the coast communities more desperate and a result was the eruption of the Kaya Bombo (clashes of 1997 in Likoni).

Many of our youth were killed and maimed in the crackdown on the Kaya Bombo clashes. Even though the violence ended, the whole clamour for the rights of the Coast people didn’t die down.

It resurfaced with the formation of the Shirikisho Party, which attempted to champion our rights but did not succeed after being sidetracked by selfish political interests of those involved.

We later sat and realised that without any avenue for expressing ourselves, our people would continue to suffer and the youth tormented. We then set up the movement.

Some leaders started calling us all sorts of names, but we have remained tolerant even in the face of harassment.

We are happy about how far we have come, but we know there is still a long way to go. We are presently in court challenging the ban that was placed on our movement. This is one of the outcomes we are eagerly awaiting.

Why can’t MRC leaders form a party and compete for power at the polls like everyone else?

We, as the Coast people, have many problems which, we believe, cannot be solved by us being part of Kenya or participating in its politics.

The Constitution has not helped us and will not; MPs have not been of help and even the devolution that has created the counties will not be of help to us.

In fact it will make things worse for us. What we are asking now is that we be allowed to form our own government so that we govern ourselves, educate our children and find solution to problems that we have.

What are the MRC’s main grievances?

Right now, our main grievance is the ban imposed on MRC, which we want to be lifted.

Of course there are grievances touching on issues such as land, but we have reached a stage where we cannot engage the Kenya Government on this.

We will address this issue ourselves as we know nothing will come out of any engagement with Kenya.

We cannot rely on Kenya to keep its word as Kenyans and their leaders are known to break their own laws without caring.

Is the MRC aggrieved by the current and past governments or by wabara (upcountry people)? There doesn’t seem to be a clear distinction in your previous communication.

It is the government, past and present, that is the problem. Let me be very clear that we have absolutely no problem with upcountry people.

We thank them because we have lived in peace all these years. There may be a few exceptions but we live like brothers and sisters. It is not them to blame but the government.

The governments of Kenyatta, Moi and Kibaki have been behind all the historical injustices that the people of Coast have been subjected to.

They have not only been selfish in dealing with issues concerning Coast people, but have also promoted tribalism and such other ills.

Put yourself in the government’s shoes: What would you do to resolve once and for all the Coastal people’s grievances?

First and foremost, I would lift the ban on MRC. The ban is an abuse of the rights of the Coast people yet we have not stolen anything from anyone or done anyone wrong.

Second, after lifting the ban, I would sit with them and talk to see how we can co-exist. The way ministers like Saitoti have been going about it is not the best.

He should not try to use threats to force us into doing anything. If they want force, then we may be forced to take measures that will ensure even elections are not held in Coast. Let them not think this is impossible.

Is there truth in suggestions that the MRC is a mere tool of powerful forces at the Coast to exert their influence in the next General Election?

No, no, no. MRC is made up of very humble, lowly people. If we were tools of tycoons or powerful people, we would not be what we are. For instance, if you see, you would not know that I am chairman of MRC.

We trust only in God and not in any tycoons or powerful people. We are not getting any help from political leaders, as they are mostly selfish.

I have worked with politicians and I know they are a selfish lot. I was even DP (Democratic Party) chairman in Pwani . I worked with (President) Kibaki in DP and party records are there to prove this.

What percentage of Coast people support your views?

I can confidently say that almost the entire Coast region, from Tana River, Taita Taveta, Lamu, Lunga Lunga and the town of Mombasa itself.

I read in the newspapers this week that the Prime Minister will seek to have the ban on your ban removed. What next if that happens?

It is true the Prime Minister came and sent delegates asking for a meeting with us. But I told my people not to go for any talks with him until the ban is lifted.

Some of my branch officials went and engaged in discussions with him, but without permission of MRC and that has landed them in problems.

We know he was seeking to talk to us for political reasons. Yet both he and President Kibaki have never responded to letters we had written to them, on the problems we have had and asking them to lift the ban on MRC.

The lifting of the ban would be very good but it does not just end there. The next step would be to release about 200 members who have been arrested across the Coast and whose cases are pending in court.

Once the ban is lifted and the cases dismissed, then the Government should write to us and we will sit, talk and find a solution.

How can they want to sit and talk to us when MRC is still banned? Let them not say they want to talk to us when they still view us as a banned group.

Who initiated contact with the Prime Minister this week?

As I have explained, the leadership of MRC was not contacted. I was only contacted when disagreements arose between those who went for the meeting. I would not say it was MRC leaders who went for the meeting but some imposters.

Has MRC considered holding a similar meeting with the President?

The president got our letter but never responded to it and his security agents have continued to harass us.

We do not intend to seek audience with him. We would rather other parties like the United Kingdom come and initiate the dialogue.

If the ban on MRC is not lifted, then what?

If the ban is not lifted, then there would be problems. There would be chaos and not even the elections would be held here.

So if the Government wants chaos, then let it refuse to lift the ban. They will know Pwani has its owners and it will not matter how many security agents they bring here.

What is your message to Kenyans? How do you want them to perceive MRC and what it stands for?

I would want Kenyans to know that MRC is fighting for the rights of its people which have been violated.

It is not an illegal group as has been portrayed. We want to live better lives like other people, have our children go to school, people do business and prosper.