Thoughts for the leaders of MRC.

Thoughts for the leaders of MRC.

Many a time we have been treated to the theatrics of this organization going by the acronym MRC standing for Mombasa Republican Council. The very first time we heard seriously about it a few years ago was when it was banned by the GOK for allegedly perpetrating terrorist agenda and abetting terror activities within the coastal region of Kenya. The real manifesto or blue print of this organization and its clear goals and objectives have never been clearly explained or forwarded to us to examine and upgrade ourselves with its intention. Rather we are treated to theatrics in court and TV of youth and kanzu wearing, bearded men shouting themselves horse and wearing shirts with the inscription that ‘PWANI SI KENYA!’

This I would say is good for the show and being on TV and the subject of prime time news, but never for the amelioration of any cause. All over the world, we have had pressure groups and lobbies that lobby, coerce even petition the governments that be, on certain issues that are of importance to a certain group of people. These could include matters of marginalization, racial discrimination, historical injustices, environmental awareness etc. Going by the turn events have taken and particularly the agenda that the MRC has taken, whether seriously or as an ad hoc default objective, is detrimental to their very existence, legitimacy, if not their capability to attract exterior international, regional and internal much needed support from fellow Kenyans who share in their genuine grief.

Seceding has never made countries better, consider the Basque Movement in Spain for example, they have been engaged in an unending war or secession with their central government for ages with little success, just depleted resources and wasted generations of unproductive men who wont go to school or work, invent and develop because they are fighting to break away to make their lives better. But they don’t live at all! This is replicated across the globe in Chechnya, India, China, etc. But consider the great success of pressure groups that operate without the fetters of the security arms of government since they have articulated their motives and objectives/ modular operandi within the confines of the constitution and rule of law. We even have very successful pressure groups that operate internationally and help a great deal in pushing international agenda and the promotion of equality and justice for all.

At this point in time, and with the court ruling, The MRC has been given a lease of fresh air, a new opportunity to reinvent itself into a law abiding organization with well stipulated concerns, objectives, road-map and tenets that conform to the new constitutional dispensation in Kenya. This should be the rebirth of MRC that will propel it to the respected and accredited organization it strives to become. The coast region is truly marginalized, it has a legion of problems that range from land, sanitation, education, health, drug abuse, unemployment, child trafficking & prostitution etc, etc. These problems are a result of years of neglect by the regimes that have ruled this nation from independence. But to address them needs a more organized, objective, informed and expert approach with a clear road map of the timelines within which specific goals in specific areas are to be achieved, and the resources available. In other words, it needs a group that will demand accountability from the current and subsequent leaders in various leadership positions on matters that touch on the lives of the people of this area.

Court cases, picketing, interrupting elections, secession messages, youth mobilization and misuse will only attract the wrong attention and action from government and other organs of state including the citizens that you sort to help. This will in turn elicit ramifications that we all know that the MRC leadership will not be in a position to deter. It’s high time to use your creativity, resources, good rapport you currently enjoy with the coast denizens and turn a bad situation to your advantage and that of the population you profess to represent. This is my thought and free advice to the leadership of the MRC. Anyone with me?

By Jumbah Amaheno,

Email: jumbah.lordaj@gmail.com

Bungoma County.