Kingi bows to pressure and resigns as ODM Kilifi County chairman
Charles Lwanga
Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi has resigned as Orange Democratic Movement county chairman.
In a statement, the governor said the party’s decision to replace him was welcome.
He said that during his tenure as chairman, he raised the party’s profile in the region, citing the performance in the last General Election.
“I wish to take this opportunity to thank the party and more particularly the party leader Raila Odinga for giving me the opportunity to serve as the Kilifi County ODM chairman for the past nine years,” he said.
Kingi has been under pressure from some members to leave the position owing to his championing the formation of a Coast-based party ahead of next year’s elections.
The members wanted Ganze MP Teddy Mwambire, who is the vice chair, to replace Kingi (right).
Kilifi County ODM coordinator Justin Baya had said a meeting of party members had ratified Kingi’s removal.
“ODM members held a meeting to discuss the issue of party leadership after the chairman begun pushing for formation of a Coastal outfit.
Each constituency produced eight members in the meeting also attended by Deputy Governor Gideon Saburi,” he said.
Field candidates
Baya said the meeting resolved that Kingi must resign from the chairman’s position.
Kingi’s resignation from ODM frees him to intensify his efforts to establish the proposed Coast party.
A source said plans to launch the outfit were at an advanced stage.
“We have been doing a lot of behind the scenes work and now we are ready. The party will field candidates in next year’s election,” he said.
The governor has been calling for Coastal unity and formation of a party to increase the region’s bargaining power in the next election.
The source said parting ways with ODM did not mean joining Deputy President William Ruto’s Hustler Movement.
“ODM is a friendly party and we support the work of President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga,” he said.
Five Coastal parties have formed a coalition, dubbed Pamoja Alliance (PAA). The parties are Shirikisho Party of Kenya, Kadu-Asili, Republican Congress Party of Kenya, Umoja Summit Party of Kenya, and the Communist Party of Kenya.
