Call for unity among Coast leaders dominated an iftar dinner organised by  East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP Hassan Omar, on Sunday.

Leaders present at the iftar emphasised the importance of prioritising and listening to the region's concerns, irrespective of political allegiances.

The leaders mainly from  the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) vowed to unite and speak in one voice.

Senate Speaker Amason Kingi challenged the leaders to join his Pamoja African Alliance party.

“When I started the Pamoja African Alliance (PAA) Party, it was not an easy one. Today we are calling for unity to plan the 2027 politics while we are in different political parties. As long as you belong to different political formations forget about unity,  ODM will do their way and UDA. If truly we want unity then we must look for our own house (party)." argued Kingi.

Adding " I have been listening to all of you here calling for unity, whatever you have all said is because your party leaders are not here, if they were here you would not said some of the things that you said. As Coast leaders we have to stop being political puppets and the only way is we must find our won House as a region."

Kingi called on Coast leaders to go back to the drawing board and find out the reason and cause of disunity among the leaders.

"Just go and search for the speeches of Coast leaders from the era of the late Ngala until now, the speeches are all the same ,  We are simply playing the tape and if we don't sit down and see where the problem is then things will not change for the next 100 years. We must change the narrative and this is only possible if we get to know where the problem is.''

On his part EALA Mp Hassan Omar lashed out at some leaders from the region for criticising and attacking politicians from different political leaders whenever they unite.

"We have come along way as the people of Pwani, we cannot allow some few individuals to come and divide us. Who are you to go to social media and start criticisng a leader just because he was seen with another leader from a rival party. This is stupidity" said Omar.

Adding " Any leader who has our interests at heart, we must stand with the them as the Coast people irrespective of their political party. Raila Odinga and Ruto United, for us we will not wait for anyone to come and tell us to unite, we will continue working together with like minded leaders."

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Omar noted that he will support former Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho in his bid to take over from Raila Odinga as ODM party leader.

Omar charged "We will unite and continue working together, we will push Hassan Joho to where he wants to go because he is one of us"

Speaking at the same forum, Jomvu Mp Badi Twalib called on Coast politicians to stop politics of division and witch hunt.

"No one tells me what to say in a public forum, I speak my words without mincing them. As leaders we need to stop witch hunt. We need to be proud and support each other." said Twalib.

Twalib emphasized the need to prioritise serving the locals over political party interests, urging them to move beyond divisive politics and focus on progressing together.

Former First Lady of Kenya,Margaret Kenyatta, presided over the closing ceremony of the inaugural Leadership Program for County Social Transformation held at the Sarova Whitesands Hotel in Mombasa County.

The Beyond Zero Initiative has partnered with the Kenya School of Government (KSG), the oldest public sector training institute in the country, to establish the Margaret Kenyatta Institute (MKI). The establishment of the MKI and initiatives such as the Leadership Program for County Social Transformation highlight the broader recognition of women's crucial role in driving economic growth and social progress.

In her address to the first cohorts of the program, Mrs. Kenyatta noted that the vision, mission, and mandate of the Institute, which is embedded in the Kenya School of Government's core mandate, is to transform society through services and programs that promote Social Justice, Gender Equality, Wellness and Health, and Empowerment.

The caucus gathered County First Ladies from Kilifi, Elgeyo Marakwet, Mig ori, West Pokot, Kakamega, Narok, Siaya, and Bomet to engage in strategic discussions and initiatives focused on promoting social change at the grassroots level.  Margaret Kenyatta extended her gratitude to the participating County First Ladies for their involvement in the event.

"I thank you for being the first cohort of this inaugural program which recognizes the unique leadership roles you play in your counties as spouses of Governors. We applaud you for your diverse aspirations, in what may sometimes be uncharted paths or challenging roles you play to make a difference in your communities,"

 The Kenya School of Government collaborated with the Beyond Zero Initiative to craft the Leadership Program curriculum. Initiatives such as the Leadership Program for County Social Transformation highlight the increasing recognition of the essential role women play in fostering both economic development and social advancement.

"I hope that the case studies and experiential learning reflect the opportunities to help you overcome challenges and promote continuous engagement in the future," Mrs. Kenyatta remarked.

During the week-long event, the First Ladies were introduced to a range of strategies and initiatives to promote social change in their respective counties.

Notable speakers included Lady Justice Njoki Ndungu, H.E. Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, former First Lady of Ekiti State, Nigeria, Nicole Brzeski and Cora Neumann of the Global First Ladies Association, Lucy Mathenge from UN Women, and Jacqueline Wambua from ROCHE E.A, among others.

The discussions revolved around topics such as the Interface between Government and Politics, Gender and Social Development, Legacy Building for Enduring Impact, Championing Causes for Social Transformation, Philanthropy and Resource Mobilization, and Partnerships.

With confidence, the former First Lady expressed her belief that this training will empower County First Ladies to champion noble causes in their respective regions, contributing to a brighter future for all citizens of Kenya. Also present at the ceremony were: Chairperson, Kenya School of Government, Hon. Rtd. Justice Charles Nyachae, Lynette Otwori, Acting Director of MKI, and senior administrative officials from KSG.

Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir has raised his concern over the rising trends of juvenile crime in the county.

Speaking on Friday at his office  during the handing over of bursaries worth 2 million shillings by the Shining Hope for Communities popularly known as SHOFCO, Nassir warned those involved in the criminal activities of dire conseqeuneces.

"Enough is enough! We wont tolerate juvenile gangs terrorizing innocent residents of Mombasa." said Nassir.

Adding " The County Government has done its part to keep our youth meaningfully engaged during the holidays. If they get caught doing the wrong things, we will hold them and their parents accountable."

Nassir also challenged parents to monitor and take responsibility of their Children.

"Why is it that this cases only happen when Children are on break from school, this shows that parents are failing in their responsibilities ." argued Nassir.

The Governor also challenged the courts not to give out bails and bonds to Children charged with crime.

Farhiya Hussein Hassan, the coastal-based reporter for The Eastleigh Voice is this year's Forty under 40 Achiever , Kenya.

Farhiya who is also the Mombasa press Club treasurer  won under the journalism category (Radio and Newspaper).

Farhiya who previously worked for Daily nation came to spotlight with her fearless exposé on the Shakahola Massacre, a tragic event that claimed the lives of over 400 individuals in Kenya.

Speaking at the ceremony, she emphasized the critical role of journalism in uncovering truths that others might seek to bury, stating, "Journalism is not easy; it is airing and publishing what other people do not want to be published."

Adding "It is indeed very encouraging to see a young girl like me from a marginalised community winning this award."

She has previously won other awards including Best Journalist of the Year 2023 at the Mombasa Youth Awards and recognised among the 100 Most Influential Kenyan Muslims in 2023.

The Forty Under 40 Africa Awards, now in their third edition in Kenya, aim to identify, honour, and celebrate the continent's most influential young leaders across various sectors ranging from bar finance, energy, family business, agriculture, theatre and arts, journalism, fashion, law, sports, event management, health, and technology, amongst others.

The rigorous selection process involves public nominations, data collection, and vetting by a competent jury, ensuring that only the most deserving candidates receive recognition.

The new found bromance between UDA Vice Chairman Hassan Omar and ODM Deputy leader Hassan Joho seems to have shaken the UDA family in Mombasa.

Omar has recently been publicly supporting Joho in his bid to become the ODM party leader should incumbent Raila Odinga move to Addis Ababa to become the African Union Commission chairman.

Omar was among Coast leaders who attended an iftar at Joho's Nyali home a week ago.

During the event, Omar called on Coast leaders to stand with Joho in his quest to inherit Raila Odinga as the ODM party leader.

"My brother Hassan, we wish you all the best and stand with you in this. I have asked my people in UDA to also stand with you as Coast, let us all be united as the Coast people and leaders" said Omar.

On Thursday, a section of UDA members mostly allied to Nyali Mp Mohammed Ali criticised the new friendship between Omar and Joho terming it "not helpful to the UDA party".

The disgruntled party members, led by Mombasa coordinator Samir Omar, denied claims party members support Joho’s ODM bid.

“At an Iftar dinner this week, he said UDA members have come together to support a rival party. That is not true. That is his personal opinion and personal move,” Samir told journalists.

He accused Omar of escaping his leadership role and failing to unite UDA while supporting a rival party.

“How can you work with a rival party yet the party that sponsored you and which you are a high-ranking official has problems, which you have not solved yet?” Samir posed.

On Saturday, another wing of UDA members came out to defend the unity between Omar and Joho.

Led by the UDA Mombasa Chairman Mutungwa Wambua, said the unity between the two leaders (Omar and Joho) has the blessings of party members.

"Why should it be an issue for you if two leaders from the same region unite?, what is your agenda?' posed Wambua.

Adding "This is not the first time that leaders from different parties  are uniting, this has happened before, our President has also united and even met the opposition leader Raila Odinga, so what is the big deal about two leaders from Coast region coming together"

On his part Mgandi Kalinga accused the coordinator Samir Omar of being a stooge.

"We are aware that the coordinator is a stooge and he is just bitter. What Hassan Omar is doing has the blessings of party members. We will always follow his instructions" said Kalinga.

Adding "Joho is our son and one of our own , we have a responsibility of ensuring that he becomes the next ODM Party Leader."

Local airline Skyward express is bringing more affordable domestic flights to Mombasa.

The carrier has officially launched the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to Moi International airport.

The maiden flight landed at the Moi Airport Mombasa on Thursday 11:30am.

On board the flight was Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, Kenya Maritime Authority Chairman Hamisi Mwaguya, Skyward express Chairman Captain Mohammed Abdi among other passengers.

"Travel between Mombasa and Nairobi will always be a critical link, this is between the two largest cities in Kenya. We will continue to invest in this route and offer world class travel." said Captain Mohammed.

Adding "For Skyward, investing in this route is a vote of confidence in the economies of Mombasa and Nairobi, we believe Skyward and its peers operating this route will see success and that demand will continue to grow."

On his part CS Murkomen commended the airline for the new route.

"Skyward is a good example of the bottom up economic, it has been growing slowly from the bottom" said Murkomen.

Adding "As a ministry we are proud of our local airlines like Skyward for it's efforts in improving the economy of the country. As a government we will always support our local airlines."

The CS further stated that the government is currently working on the infrastructure at the Coast especially the airports to improve tourism.

"We cannot improve the tourism sector if we dont invest in our airports and roads" argued Murkomen.

Skyward express currently operates scheduled passenger services to Eldoret, Lodwar, Kakamega, Kitale, Lamu, Malindi, Mombasa and Ukunda.

Red Bull Dance Your Style, the biggest urban street dance competition in the world, is back in Kenya for its fifth edition. 

The dance competition will once again take to different regions around Kenya to find the best dancers who will battle to become Kenya’s ultimate champ. The dance battle will pass through two universities and different Kenyan cities, starting with Eldoret (13 April), Kisumu, Mombasa and back to Nairobi (29 June), after which the National Finals will be held on 13 July.

To join the competition, sign up for your preferred qualifier. You must be 18+ https://participate.redbull.com/en/events/red-bull-dance-your-style-kenya/2024 

Red Bull Dance Your Style is a unique competition, with no judges. The twist? The crowd decides who wins by voting for their favourite dancers. The dancers’ creativity, freestyle, and musical skills are put to the test in front of a live audience. All urban dance styles are welcome except for break dancing– the only rule you can’t break.

The DJ plays unpredictable music, and the dancers will have to adapt, dance their style and impress the crowd. After each battle, spectators hold up blue or red placards to choose a winner. In other words, YOU decide the champion, who guarantees a place in the world final.

International Red Bull dancer and world champion Stalamuerte from Switzerland, celebrated globally for his signature hip hop dance moves, was in Kenya over the past weekend (23 March 2024) at the official launch of Red Bull Dance Your Style 2024 edition. Speaking after the event Stala said, “Africa is my favourite continent and I am thrilled to be here. Being my first time in Kenya– I'm feeling like an infant experiencing things for the first time. I’m taking in every moment.”

Stalamuerte met Kenya’s dance community and interacted with them through a panel discussion and a Q&A session that was hosted by Kenyan media personality Azeezah Hashim. He later gave an interactive dance workshop that was joined by a host of dancers and groups including Art In Motion. Among the things he tackled at a dance workshop was fundamentals of winning Red Bull Dance Your Style, musicality, vibing with the crowd and adaptability to unpredictable music and times like social media influence.

He said, “My advice to Kenyan dancers is to master confidence and trust their art. Keep doing your thing and don't care about other people’s opinions. If you are passionate about what you do, that’s all that matters." It wouldn’t be complete without a friendly battle after some Kenyan dancers dared Stalamuerte.

Also in attendance was Fabius Oduor–Kenya’s Red Bull Dance Your Style 2023 Champ, who also took to the stage for a freestyle dance, as this year’s lead DJ Sir M dropped multiple mixes. Fabius Oduor said, “Becoming the reigning champ was a mind-blowing experience and a dream come true, that I’d wish for every other Kenyan dancer,” adding, “Stronger than ever, I am back and participating in this year’s competition. I am looking forward to displaying my growth as a dancer and how the new experience unfolds for me.”

Red Bull Kenya continues to support the international mixed-style dance competition to support dance talent in Kenya and upskill local dance communities while exposing them to different levels of dance on a global stage.

Red Bull Dance Your Style is a global competition with 51 counties participating. The ultimate champ at the national finals will represent Kenya in Mumbai, India for the world finals on 9 November. The winner will win an all-expense paid trip to India for the World Finals. All enthusiasts and lovers of dance–it’s time to show up for your talent or your favourite dancer so check out where the next event is happening and come through with your squad.

KEY EVENT DATE QUALIFIERS:

• Eldoret 13 April

• Kisumu 27 April

• Kenyatta University 11 May

• Mombasa 25 May

• USIU 15 June

• Nairobi 29 June

• National Finals 13 July.