MRC threat and land question offers mixed bag for Kwale leaders

Kwale is a county in the grip of social discontent ahead of the General Election.

A combination of mineral wealth and vast agricultural potential makes it one of Kenya’s richest regions.

Add to that miles of pristine beachfront suitable for fishing and entertainment for tourists and you have a county that should be much higher in the country’s development rankings.

Yet a majority of Kwale people have suffered for years, with runaway poverty confining many to perpetual dependency on handouts.

It is this poverty that is the main cause of social discontent spreading through the county today, leading to the emergence of groups like the Mombasa Republican Council.

The secessionist group will no doubt be one of the key issues in the elections in Kwale.

It is not lost on the residents and leaders that most of the MRC’s top leadership is from Kwale. It will be interesting to see how the aspirants will rally support from the young people most of who are disillusioned and are being accused of being MRC members or sympathisers.

The group, which has threatened to disrupt the elections, is said to be behind the low voter registration in the county.

By the close of the registration this week, only 147,269 voters of the 302,998 expected to have listed had done so. This was a 49 per cent rate, the lowest at the Coast.

With 95 per cent, Lamu had the highest registration followed by Mombasa (79), Taita Taveta (74), Tana River (59) and Kilifi (56).

But not all is lost for Kwale. The county’s mineral, tourism and fishing sectors are expected to drive its economy but it first must get good and effective leaders. Whether this can happen given the low registration is the big question. The government had already initiated some projects to spur growth.

They include the revival of the former Ramisi factory by the Kwale International Sugar Company.

Already large tracts of land in Msambweni are under sugar cane, as plans gather momentum for the new factory to be built next year.

This is one of the key initiatives the government is banking on to help shore up sugar production to help the country meet the demand.

Another key area the government has emphasised as part of eradicating poverty is fishing.

This activity remains the main livelihood for many Kwale people and the recent allocation of extra funds for fishing across the Coast should boost production and enhance profitability.

The county boasts an array of ports, key among them being Vanga, Shimoni and Diani. The county’s fish have been targeted by fishermen from as far as Pemba in Tanzania.

Msambweni district commissioner Abdullatif Muzne said the main drawback in the local fishing industry was that residents largely relied on traditional methods which gave only minimal catches.

“Our people do not use modern methods to fish. We are therefore emphasising to them that they use the right methods to catch more fish,” said Ms Muzne.

The recent discovery of vast deposits of titanium and niobium minerals is expected to change not only the region’s fortunes but that of the entire nation if its leadership gets it right in the new dispensation.

The other issue likely to dominate the campaigns is the human-wildlife conflict.

Being home to Shimba Hills National Reserve and Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary, this is a major issue.

Marauding elephants have caused massive destruction of lives and property over the years.

Kenya Wildlife Service has not done itself any favour in the county by unilaterally setting up animal buffer zones. Unless a system of compensation is devised to deal with the discontent, the residents bordering the wildlife will continue to oppose not only the KWS but also the government’s projects of protecting animals.

Land ownership is another problem. Because most of Kwale residents do not have title deeds, they are vulnerable to brokers who sell off their ancestral land.

The county’s beach front has become an exclusive club of foreign investors and well-placed locals.

Aspirants for different elective posts will be hard pressed to explain how they will tackle these issues in the face of widespread disillusionment in the county.

Those intending to take leadership positions next year will be expected to tell voters how they intend to resolve the high unemployment rate, high rate of school dropouts, early marriages, neglected children and child labour, drug abuse and the high HIV/Aids prevalence.

The discontent is likely to turn into a political tsunami that may sweep away all incumbent leaders who are blamed for the poverty.

All the three MPs, Minister Chirau Mwakwere (Matuga), Lands assistant minister Gonzi Rai (Kinango) and Omar Zonga (Msambweni) are under siege as rivals plot their ouster.

Mr Mwakwere intends to run for the senate seat where he will face opposition from former Kwale Central MP Boy Juma Boy (ODM), his former Matuga rival Nicholas Zani (ODM) and former Lands permanent secretary Kombo Mwero (Kenya National Congress).

The battle for governorship has attracted former Kinango MP Simon Mkala (UDF), former Forestry PS Mohamed Wa-Mwachai (KNC), Mr James Dena (Kadu Asili), Mr Salim Mvurya (ODM) and Mr Riga Mambo.

Mr Mkala wants to run on an economic agenda that targets agri-technology to turn round the traditional farming system especially in the hinterlands.

His running mate Daniel Sila Kitivo is a former director of agriculture, who has specialised in water harvesting and irrigation which he intends to put to use to change the face of the county.

Fireworks in primaries

Analysts see Mkala’s choice of Mr Kitivo as aimed at attracting the Kamba bloc vote from Shimba Hills, Mariakani, Lunga Lunga and Ukunda areas.

The race for county women’s representative has so far attracted four candidates: Ms Zainab Chidzuga (ODM), educationist Mwanasaidi Ntembe Makoti (URP), nominated councillor Fatuma Masito (ODM) and Ms Mwanakombo Juma Gwerenya, who is yet to pick a party.

Fireworks are expected in the ODM primaries between Ms Chidzuga and councillor Masito.

Whoever wins the party ticket will battle it out with URP candidate Makoti who intends to use the women and girl-child agenda to drum up support throughout the county.

At the constituency levels, battles of wits and party affiliation will play a crucial role in determining who wins in Matuga, Msambweni, Lunga Lunga and Kinango.

Already vigorous campaigns among the sitting MPs, their former colleagues and newcomers plotting to inject new blood in the leadership of these constituencies have started.

The front runner for the Matuga seat is Mr Hassan Mwanyoha (ODM) who has twice lost to minister Mwakwere who has given way to his close associate Mwalimu Digore (URP) to challenge his former political foe.

However, the two will have to contend with nominated councillor Saida Rama Shikelly who intends to stand on the PNU ticket although the party has lost focus in the area since the death of its leader, Prof George Saitoti.

Mr Zonga has opted to contest in the newly-created Lunga Lunga where he is expected to face it off with Mr Khatib Abdalla Mwashetani (Ford Kenya) and former Msambweni MP Abdalla Ngozi (KNC). Others in the race are Mr Mrabu Chako, Mr Michael Simba and Mr Yusuf Mbwana.

Left behind to battle it out for the Msambweni seat are former MP Marere Wa-Mwachai (National Vision Party), former Kwale County Council chairman Mshenga Vuyaa Ruga (URP), Mr Hamisi Mwandaro (ODM), Mr Suleiman Dor and Mr Salim Kassim Choka

In Kinango, the only challenger so far to incumbent Gonzi Rai is Ms Rehmat Sebisubi who once vied for King’orani civic seat in Mombasa in the 1992 General Election but lost.

She believes she has what it takes to beat the incumbent for the parliamentary seat because of her infrastructure projects, healthcare agenda and empowerment of women through small-and-medium enterprises.

In the 2007 elections, there was no single dominant party in the county with its three parliamentary seats going to different parties.

Mr Mwakwere won Matuga on PNU, Mr Rai won on Ford People and Mr Zonga on ODM ticket.

ODM is still a force to reckon with especially now that it is in alliance with Mr Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper Democratic Movement.

However, the URP-UDF-TNA alliance is also expected to put up a strong fight as is the Kenya National Congress of Mr Peter Kenneth.

Aspirants for governor

Candidates to focus on fighting poverty and thorny land issue in the region

Mr Simeon Mkalla

The 62-year-old has worked at senior level at the Kenya Ports Authority for more than 24 years.

He served as the managing director for three years before plunging into politics in the 1997 General Election. He is a Certified Public Accountant and holds an MBA degree from Leeds University.

His plans for the Kwale county revolves around creation of jobs for the youth, empowering women through small-scale enterprises, improving infrastructure and reduce poverty through agriculture and education.

Mr James Gereza Dena

Mr Dena has worked for several companies at managerial positions and believes this puts him in a better position to run the affairs of Kwale County.

To prepare himself for the gubernatorial role, the 42-year-old has enlisted for an MA in public policy and public administration at Kenyatta University.

He says he will tackle poverty and the thorny land issue in the region if elected governor.

Mr Kassim Rigga Mambo

Mr Mambo says he intends to use his journalistic skills obtained from Byelorussia State University and public relations from Kenyatta University to win the election.

He says he will create a flourishing industry-driven economy that is self-sufficient in food production. He has plans to improve the infrastructure as he believes this is the cornerstone of development in Kwale.

“If you add a vibrant and sustainable tourism industry, then you have everything wrapped up for changing the living standards of the county,” he says.

Mr Michael Chidzao Nyanje

He is a community development worker and believes his 13 years experience working with various non-governmental organisations gives him an upper hand in steering the county to prosperity.

A holder of a master’s degree in project planning and management who has also served as a part time lecturer at Mt Kenya University, Mr Nyanje says he will use his experience to improve of education standards and health care in the county.

He also promises to tackle poverty and improve infrastructure in the region.

Mr Salim Mruvya

He is getting into politics for the first time. The former Plan International employee holds a master’s degree from University of Sussex in the UK.

He says he will ensure that Kwale residents are properly involved in the affairs of the county.

He pledges to come up with proper policies to reduce poverty and improve the living standards.

Aspirants for senate

Candidates face stiff competition in primaries

Mr Chirau Ali Mwakwere

The Environment minister and former ambassador was first elected to Parliament in 2002 on a Narc ticket.
He won the Matuga seat again in 2007 on a PNU ticket but lost it in a petition.

However, Mr Mwakwere won the resultant by-election in a fierce battle against ODM rival Hassan Mwanyoha.

He got into trouble with the National Cohesion and Integration Commission which took him to court for hate speech.

He got off the hook when he settled the matter out of court with his accusers and pledged to preach peace in the county.

Mr Mwakwere will be running on a URP ticket.

Mr Kombo Mwero

He has worked as the director of surveys and permanent secretary in the Ministry of Lands. His priorities for the county are food security, quality education and robust enterprises that he hopes will turn round the fortunes of Kwale that is ranked as one of the poorest in the country.

Popularising his candidature on a three-prong front, Mr Mwero intends to seek votes on the platform of food security, quality education and robust enterprise through empowerment of women and youth.

Mr Nicholas Zani

Mr Zani has been one of Mr Mwakwere’s main rivals in Matuga. He will get another chance to face the Environment minister in the senate race.

Mr Zani says among his top priorities is infrastructure. He says he will push for imroved roads in the county and construction of a port at Shimoni.

He will also set up Mwache River Multipurpose development project, he says.

Mr Boy Juma Boy

The former Kwale Central MP became a fisherman after losing his seat in the 1997 elections.

He had served as MP since 1983. Today, he owns three fishing boats. He has also stopped going out to the ocean himself and has employed several youths to help him.

He says one of his top priorities will be to improve this sector by investing in modern equipment to enable more residents to earn a living from it.

Aspirants for women’s representative

Leaders pledge to push for education of girls

Ms Fatuma Hamisi Masito

The nominated councillor believes empowering women and promoting the girl-child education will change the destiny of the county. She wants to engage the women and the youth in small-scale businesses to make them self-reliant.

Ms Mwanakombo Juma Gwerenya

The teacher wants to empower women by promoting education of girls in the region.

“I intend to push for the integration of the education system from the basic level in order to instil spiritualism in children from an early level. That way, we can have focused youth who will uphold both national and religious values which include maintaining peace,” she says.

Ms Zainab Chidzuga

She is a farmer and has served as director of the Coast Water Board Services (2010 – 2012) and believes  women and youth have a right to hold any political office, race and tribe notwithstanding.

A Maendeleo ya Wanawake chairperson in Kwale County, she has water, health, education, women and youth empowernment as her main priorities.

Ms Mwanasaidi Ntembe Makoti

She is a retired commissioner with the Teachers Service Commission who later served as a part-time lecturer at Kenyatta University’s Mombasa Campus.

A holder of bachelor and master’s degrees, she will be making her debut into politics and believes her agendas for poverty reduction, micro-enterprises, education and health will endear her to the electorates.

“I am up to the task to not just to fulfil my dream but serve my people and fulfil the objectives of the office,” she says.