Professionals out to steer Coast politics

Professionals and business people at the Coast are set to be a major factor in the next General Election.

After years of shying away from active politics, professionals are now taking interest and are out to ensure that leaders who are elected in the region are above reproach.

Professionals and business people in the region’s six counties have set up groups and forums to educate voters on the principles of good governance and responsible leadership as enshrined in the Constitution.

Rigorous campaigns

Some of these organisations include Kilifi County Leaders Association (Kicolea), Taita Taveta Think Tank Association and Taita Taveta Professional Forum.

According to Kicolea’s education sub-section leader, Prof Gabriel Katana, rigorous campaigns have started across Kilifi’s four constituencies to “enlighten” voters on the calibre of leadership required in the region.

“However, our mission to educate the people has been misconstrued by the political class, which is against what we are doing at the grassroots level,” he said.

The Pwani University College lecturer said the region needs leaders who are development-minded and have integrity.

But the proliferation of professionals’ forums has not gone down well with some of the region’s politicians.

According to Taveta Think Tank member Marangi Mbogho, the bad blood between politicians and professionals is a result of unfounded suspicions.

“Some believe the professionals pose a threat because of their academic qualifications vis-à-vis those of politicians,” Dr Mbogho says.

The Mombasa Polytechnic University College lecturer says the two groups should ideally pool resources to provide effective leadership.

“However, lack of ideology-based national political parties discourages many professionals from becoming members of the existing tribal parties,” Dr Mbogho said to explain the growth of forums.

But Nominated MP Shakila Abdalla (ODM-Kenya) accuses professionals of associating with political parties’ bigwigs instead of local leaders for personal benefit.

“Mistrust and individualistic interests are to blame for the poor relationship between the professionals and us.

“Although we tried to involve them under the Coast Parliamentary Group, it never worked,” she told the Sunday Nation.

Immigration assistant minister and Ganze MP Francis Baya sees professionals and businesspeople as “intruders”, particularly when they organise activities without informing area leaders.

“Personally, I welcome professionals in my constituency but they must be open about their agenda,” he said in a telephone interview with the Sunday Nation.