Relocate to coast if you want, Kingi tells Uhuru, Ruto

Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi has said President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto’s unrelenting fight to wrestle the coast from ODM’s grip is futile.

Speaking at Dr. Krapf Memorial Secondary School grounds in Rabai on Saturday, Governor Kingi accused the Jubilee administration of failing to initiate any development projects at the coast.

“President Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto’s numerous trips to coast will not change the people’s support for ODM and the opposition. The two may even relocate from Nairobi to coast but still, this will not change the situation. The region is and will remain an ODM and opposition zone,” he said.

Mr Kingi who is one of ODM’s point men in the coast claimed that the Jubilee leaders were always clamouring on projects it did not initiate to claim credit for.

“There is the Sh2.3billion water project in Magarini and the Sh900 hospital equipment project at Malindi and Kilifi hospitals which the President claimed to have initiated. This is false. We got the water project after acquiring a World Bank loan of over Sh3 billion when I was Magarini MP. The hospital equipment funds is a loan that the residents must pay at a rate of Sh90 million annually,” he said.

JUBILEE LIES

He asked the government to write off the medical equipment bill “like it did for coffee farmers if it loves the people of Kilifi County”.

He said the other lie peddled by the Jubilee government was the 1 million acre irrigation project at Galana Kulalu Farm where his county pumped Sh7 billion, he said.

“A total of 65 bags of maize were produced but we did not know where they went as residents continue to starve even after promising us that there will be no longer famine in Kilifi and coast,” he said.

He accused the Jubilee government of failing to solve the landlessness problem in the coast saying the President had signed a Bill to legalise title deeds issued before 2013 “which we hoped would revert stolen land to us”.

He also accused the government of devolving some functions such as health and agriculture but retaining the cash at the national government.

“There is more than Sh30 billion in the Ministry of Agriculture in Nairobi. What is it doing there when the function is devolved?” he asked.

DEFECTIONS

On those who recently defected from ODM to Jubilee in Kilifi such as his deputy Kennedy Kamto and Kisurutini MCA Kenga Mupe, Mr Kingi said they would lose during the August 8 polls.

“Those defecting are like ticks that continue to cling on the skin of dead cows. They are not aware the cow has been slaughtered until it dries up,” he said.

He received eight aspirants who defected from various parties to ODM saying they were welcomed “to strengthen the ODM house”.

He dismissed the reason for defecting which is said to be “looking for development” in the government.

“Devolved funds are contained in the law and it does not matter which party the leader is allied to. Whether the leader is in ODM, Jubilee or any other party, the money will come because it is constitutional,” he said.

He promised them that there will be no preferred candidate for ODM but all aspirants will be subjected to a free, fair and credible nomination exercise on April 15.

Kilifi Senator Stewart Madzayo, Rabai MP William Kamoti, Malindi MP William Mtengo and several MCAs declared to remain in ODM and defend their positions on that party’s tickets.

Earlier in the day, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka accused Jubilee of “buying opposition leaders” saying that was undemocratic.

Speaking at Kaloleni on his way to Kilifi town for a rally, Mr Kalonzo accused President Kenyatta and his deputy Mr Ruto “of buying Taita Taveta Senator Dan Mwazo and Woman Rep Joyce Lay”.