Will Kingi, Ali and Jumwa exit sink Kenya Kwanza?

Are Senate Speaker Amason Kingi, Nyali Member of Parliament Mohamed Ali, and former Cabinet Secretary (CS) Aisha Jumwa on their way out of the Kenya Kwanza (KK) government?

This is the big question in Coast's political circles, as Ali and Jumwa have turned out to be fierce critics of the government's programmes and policies in recent days.

Ali and Kingi were conspicuously absent from the recent empowerment programmes led by Deputy President Prof. Kithure Kindiki held a fortnight ago in Mombasa, Kwale, and Kilifi counties.

Jumwa, the chair of the Kenya Roads Board (KRB), claims there was opaqueness in how millions of shillings distributed during the much-hyped empowerment programmes were allocated.

Recently, she also criticised the Sh2.3 billion affordable housing project and the construction of Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) projects launched by President Ruto in Malindi.

The project sits on 20 acres of land donated by Malindi High School earlier this year. However, Jumwa claims the land where the KMTC project was to be implemented was grabbed.

She questioned the process used to annex the land of Malindi High School. "We want to know who grabbed the initial land meant for the project. I started the project there as MP,” said Jumwa.

Jumwa has also questioned how money donated through Kindiki-led empowerment programmes would be distributed to women, claiming it was going into the pockets of a few leaders.

However, Malindi MP Ms Amina Mnyazi hit out at Jumwa for questioning how money raised during an economic empowerment fund drive for women was distributed.

Ms Mnyazi said she distributed the funds three days after the fund drive at the Deputy County Commissioner’s office in Malindi town for security reasons, adding that the money could not have been distributed to women in a rally-like gathering because it could have led to chaos.

“Jumwa has been throwing tantrums all over about area leaders. I operate differently from her. I am transparent, not like you,” said Ms Mnyazi.

Kilifi North MP Owen Baya claimed Jumwa was a controversial leader when she served as Malindi MP and should not criticise them.

Meanwhile, the Malindi High School board reportedly approved 10 acres out of the over 70 acres for the national housing programme and another 10 acres for the medical training college.

Implementers of the project pledged that the school would benefit from a project worth over Sh180 million aimed at helping elevate the school to national status.

In Mombasa, Ali has launched a broadside against orders by President Ruto, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, and MP Nelson Koech to the police to shoot protestors.

"Advocating for the use of extreme force by police only fans the flames of unnecessary violence that risks eroding the respect for human life and dignity," said Ali over Koech's remarks.

Ali also criticised CS Murkomen's shoot-to-kill order. "Security must never come at the cost of humanity," said Ali, who has threatened to ditch UDA over the party's botched grassroots elections.

"The shooting directive made by @kimurkomen is a chilling endorsement of extrajudicial killings, which have no place in our country. We are a nation of laws, not executions," he said.

He said that the State should never weaponise the police against its people, adding that power built on bullets was temporary.

"When the people are no longer with you, not even guns can save you," declared Ali, who has also backed those calling for the resignation of Deputy Inspector General Eliud Langat over the killing of teacher-cum-activist Albert Ojwang' in a police cell.

Meanwhile, Kingi has been conspicuously absent from the recent empowerment programme at the Coast, with reports alleging an ongoing supremacy fight between him and Mining CS Hassan Joho.

Last week, Kingi's Pamoja Africa Alliance (PAA) said that the entry of ODM into government had sidelined fringe parties within the ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition and silenced their voices.

PAA Secretary-General and Ganze MP Kenneth Kazungu said they were being disrespected and sidelined by those in power since ODM began cooperating with the government.

“ODM, which entered into a working arrangement with Kenya Kwanza, now wields greater influence and bargaining power than the affiliate parties that helped form the government. This broad-based arrangement has not only short-changed us in government appointments but has also rendered us voiceless and politically irrelevant,” he said.