Kingi bows to pressure, temporarily ‘folds’ PAA

Senate Speaker Amason Kingi at Burhani sports ground on Tuesday / BRIAN OTIENO

Intense pressure from the UDA leadership has led Pamoja African Alliance (PAA) to step back from the political scene, at least temporarily.

On Tuesday, PAA leader and Senate Speaker Amason Kingi said the party will not field candidates in next year's general election.

He stressed, however, that the party is not folding entirely but taking a hiatus, with the option to reactivate if future national leadership fails to address the Coast region’s concerns.

Kingi explained that discussions with President William Ruto have pushed PAA to align closely with UDA to avoid splitting votes, a factor that contributed to losses in the 2022 elections.

In Mvita constituency, for instance, ODM won the parliamentary seat because PAA and UDA fielded separate candidates—Said Twaha and Omar Shallo respectively—dividing the vote and allowing ODM’s Mohamed Machele to claim an easy victory.

“In 2027, Shallo’s votes and Twaha’s will be in one basket, and no one will slip through the middle,” Kingi said during a UDA sensitisation forum at Burhani Sports Ground.

He said the collaboration will form a strong team to win all seats in Mombasa, a traditional ODM stronghold.

Kingi has long faced pressure to fold PAA, at times straining his relationship with Ruto.

PAA was formed to champion the welfare of the coastal people, especially the Mijikenda community, giving Kingi the political leverage that helped him become Senate Speaker.

Stepping away completely, he said, would weaken the Coast’s bargaining power.

“The Coast person in other big parties has no voice. Their influence is waning and their problems are often ignored,” Kingi said.

He highlighted land issues, noting that many people in Dunga Unuse, Likoni, Vanga and Lamu still live as squatters, lacking dignity and security.

Kingi said PAA’s core mission has been to ensure the region benefits from its resources, which have historically enriched other areas while the Coast remains underdeveloped.

Industries that once thrived have declined due to mismanagement, he said.

“We asked the President: if PAA folds, who will carry the voice of the Coast? He assured us that UDA will take over that responsibility and address the region’s challenges,” Kingi explained.

With this guarantee, PAA decided to make its ticket inactive for the 2027 election. Aspirants who planned to run under PAA will now contest through UDA, with nominations to be conducted fairly.

Kingi said after 2032, when President Ruto will have completed his two-term limit, the next administration may not prioritise the Coast.

That is why PAA is not folding permanently—it will remain legally intact and can be reactivated if needed to protect the region’s interests.

“For now, PAA members have become UDA members, and UDA will represent the Coast in Mombasa and across the region,” the Senate Speaker said.

He emphasised that this strategic alliance ensures the Coast people will not lose political representation, even as PAA temporarily steps back.