Opposition leader Raila Odinga has negated the push for secession by two coast governors.
On Sunday in Kwale, Raila said the call to have coast region secede shows the country is on a breaking point.
But, said Raila, secession is not the way to solves issues that have dogged the country; dialogue is the only solution.
Governors Hassan Joho (Mombasa) and Amason Kingi (Kwale) wanted Raila to endorse the self-determination agenda.
Joho had earlier said that in January, he will convene a meeting to be attended by over 1, 200 residents from across the six coast counties where they will deliberate on the secession agenda.
“The issue is serious but the frustration and anger felt in the Coast because of politics of exclusion and marginalisation is being felt across the country. We call for constructive dialogue,” Raila said according to the Standard.
He insisted that national dialogue is the only way to solve issues affecting democracy and governance.
However, he added, Jubilee has showed no interest in dialogue as it has not approached him for any talks as expected.
“The country is at a tipping point and it only needs a spark and it will be bad. We have reached a point where we need concrete and intensive dialogue over some of the issues being raised by Coast leaders.”
But Joho and Kingi are hell bent on continuing with the self-determination plan. They averred that no amount of intimidation by Jubilee regime will cow them out of the plan.
They said this during the meeting. Raila was forced to walk out, an indication he was in no support of the push by the two governors to secede coast region.
The secession debate has been a thorny one and Raila has often steered clear from it. Even when pressed to give a stand on it, he says those pushing for self-determination are justified because Jubilee regime is dogged by exclusion and injustices.
He, however, never gives a definite stand on if he supports it.
The debate was first sparked by NASA head strategist Dr David Ndii after the August 8 polls.
What followed was flurry of counter statements opposing the plan while others, openly welcomed it.