Katana Ngala criticises Mung’aro for supporting Jubilee

Former Ganze MP Noah Katana Ngala (left) is consoled by Kenyan Ambassador to Zambia Sophy Kadzo during the burial of the former minister's brother Majimbo Ngala in Vishakani village on March 27,2016. PHOTO | KAZUNGU SAMUEL | NATION MEDIA GROUP

By SAMUEL KAZUNGU

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In Summary

• Mr Ngala hit out at Malindi North MP Gideon Mung’aro, for dumping the opposition on whose ticket he was elected, to work with government.
• Mr Mung’aro had earlier on addressed the mourners and steered way from politics. He later refused to be interviewed by reporters.
• Mr Ngala asked Coast residents to protect and defend devolution because the government was not keen on implementing it.

Former Ganze MP and long-serving Moi-era Cabinet minister Noah Katana Ngala has broken his silence.

On Sunday, Mr Ngala hit out at Malindi North MP Gideon Mung’aro for dumping the opposition, on whose ticket he was elected, to work with the government.

In a clear reference to Mr Mung’aro’s decision to work with the Jubilee government, Mr Ngala said it was unfortunate that a young person from the Mijikenda community would join people he said were frustrating devolution.

“You are a son from the Mijikenda community and then you go and join a group that is not for devolution. What do you want us to say about you?” he posed.

Mr Mung’aro, who was quiet as Mr Ngala spoke, had earlier addressed the mourners and steered way from politics. He later refused to be interviewed by reporters.

Mr Ngala, who was speaking at his home village of Vishakani during the burial of his younger brother, William Majimbo, asked Coast residents to protect and defend devolution because the government was not keen on implementing it.

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CREATION OF DEVOLVED UNITS

“I can foresee danger because even after the adoption of the new Constitution, which paved the way for the creation of devolved units, there has not been a clear commitment from the National Government to implement the core values that uphold the devolved system,” Ngala said.

He said his father, Ronald Ngala, was a famous politician who fought for devolution and had the vision to name his son Majimbo (Federalism).

This, he said, was reason enough for people from the Coast to be the first ones to embrace and support that system of governance.

“If Ngala rises from the grave today and finds that devolution at long last is here, he will be a happy person because in his quest for Majimbo, he valued three pillars — equity, justice and good governance. These three pillars should shape our destiny as people from the Coast region,” he said.

Mr Ngala’s sentiments come as the Kenya Muslim National Advisory Council asked the Jubilee Administration to stop “undermining upcoming Coastal leaders”.

In an interview with the Nation on Sunday, the organisation’s national chairman, Sheikh Juma Ngao, said the ruling coalition had resorted to threatening Cord's coastal leaders instead of fighting the rampant corruption in the country.

“Issuing threats to coastal leaders will not help. It is high time the Jubilee administration started leading Kenyans instead of creating more divisions that will tear the country apart,” he said.

He added that the ruling coalition should not view the opposition as its enemy.

“They won in the Kericho by-election and lost in Malindi. They should accept the defeat and strategise for next year’s elections,” he said.

Politicians allied to the opposition, such as Kilifi and Mombasa governors Amason Kingi and Hassan Ali Joho, have recently had run-ins with the government.