Kilifi North MP Owen Baya has said that he does not regret his expulsion as Deputy Organizing Secretary from the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) because the party ‘has lost’ its ideals on the development agenda for Coast people.
The lawmaker insisted that Coast should form its own political party ahead of the 2022 General Elections.
Mr Baya told mourners in Jilore, Malindi over the weekend that he will remain loyal to the people of Kilifi and Coast in general and added that he was ready to lose his ODM post if that will free the people of the Coast region from the current challenges.
Mr Baya has been the Deputy Organizing Secretary of the ODM party but has since then parted ways with the party to join forces with Deputy President William Ruto.
“I don’t shy from engaging in national politics because there has been a well-orchestrated system where Coast leaders are caged and stopped form engaging in national politics,” said Mr Baya.
The fiery legislator who has already announced that he will vie for the Kilifi Gubernatorial seat in 2022 said he was summoned by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to shed his light on some of his recent actions that are against the party rules and regulations.
“I was called, by both the NEC and the sub-committee were there to communicate the decision to expel me from the party. When I asked the reason for my expulsion, they told me that I had gone against the party leader Raila Odinga over the Revenue Sharing Formula. I told them that if that is the reason for my expulsion then I have no problem about it. Go ahead,” said Mr Baya.
He said that his second reason for expulsion was that he also disputed a statement by the ODM deputy party leader Hassan Joho that Coast was economic sufficient and was no longer among the poverty-stricken regions.
“There was a statement that was given out in Taita Taveta that Coast people are no longer poor. Because I represent the people, I am ready to speak the truth about them. I disputed that because it was not right for Governor Joho to mislead Kenyans that Coast is now economically fit while each Coast person knows that we are still suffering. That was the second reason NEC said to lead to my expulsion,” said the MP.
He said that he never applied for the ODM position but was rather given by the party because of his understanding of Coast region.
“I will not be shaken by what is being said or what other people say. I will stand with the Mijikenda nation and the entire people of the Coast region to liberate our region. We shall not remain as slaves,” said Mr Baya.
He added that as Coast people, the approach to 2022 General Elections should be totally different from how they had approached the 2013 and 2017 General Elections.
