Coast MPs yesterday snubbed a meeting called to consider how they should vote when President Moi retires.

Only Likoni MP Suleiman Shakombo, whose Shirikisho party organised the meeting, turned up.

Cabinet Minister Shariff Nassir refused to attend, stating: "I support the initiative but will only attend such meetings where Kanu leaders only are involved." 

Kanu has 18 of the province's 21 MPs. The others are DP (2) and Shirikisho.

Mr Shakombo, in a Press statement, said that the forum to be held at the Hotel Sapphire was intended to unite all Coast leaders irrespective of their party affiliations and forge a common stand on the succession debate. 

He said that once united, the Coast leaders were likely to influence the Government to initiative economic projects in their areas.

Among the few leaders who did attend was the chairman of the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims, Mombasa branch, Sheikh Juma Ngao.

The meeting is the third to fail in the wake of desperate efforts to unite the leaders in the run up to the 2002 general election.

Mr Shakombo said failure by the leaders to meet to shape the political destiny of the Coast people would lead to the entire population becoming a rubber stamp for the next government.

He said that when he invited the MPs, some made it clear to him that they would not attend a meeting that had not been initiated by Kanu.

He said he had told them the SPK forum was above political affiliations and he accused local leaders of doing a diservice to the region.

He said the meeting was planned as the first in a series of forums meant to involve local people in the political future of the country.

A similar meeting called by the Coast Parliamentary Group a month ago failed when several MPs did not attend, saying the meeting was called without consultation with the rest of the members. It was claimed the meeting was called by rebel MPs from the Coast, both from Kanu and the opposition.

MPS FROM COAST PROVINCE

MOMBASA DISTRICT

Changamwe: Seif Ramadhan Kajembe (Kanu) 1.

Kisauni: Karisa Maitha (DP) 2.

Likoni: S. Rashid Shakombo (Shirikisho) 3.

Mvita:Shariff Nassir Taib (Kanu) 4.

KWALE DISTRICT

Msambweni: Marere Wamwachai Ms (Kanu) 5.

Matuga: Suleiman Kamole (Kanu) 6.

Kinango: Simeon Mkalla (Kanu)7.

KILIFI DISTRICT

Bahari: Jembe Mwakalu (Kanu)8

Kaloleni: Mathias Keah (Kanu)9

Ganze: Noah Katana Ngala (Kanu)10

Magarini: David V. Kombe (Kanu)11

LAMU DISTRICT

Lamu West: Fahim Y. Twaha (Kanu)12

Lamu East: Mohammed Hashim Salim13

TAITA DISTRICT:

Taveta: Basil Criticos14

Wundanyi: Darius Mbela (Kanu)15

Mwatate: Marsden Madoka: (Kanu)16

Voi: B.N Mwakiringo (DP)17

MALINDI DISTRICT

Malindi:Abubakar Badawy (Kanu)18

TANA RIVER

Garsen:Molu Galgalo Shambaro (Kanu)19

Galole:Mugava Tola Kofa (Kanu)20

Bura:Mohammed Abdi Galgalo (Kanu)21