It has not been a walk in the park for founders of coast-centric political parties that were meant to unite the region and provide vehicles to the national negotiating table.

The parties, whose formation is usually marked with pomp and hope, are later lost or sold to leaders in other parts of the country, amid wrangles.

It is now emerging that, for some of the founders, these parties are cash cows. The parties are later sold to the highest bidders whenever the country is headed to a general election.

Tana River politician Maur Bwanamaka, for example, lost Chama Cha Uzalendo (CCU) to Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti shortly after she joined it. He fought in and out of courts to recapture CCU, but it appeared too late as Ms Ndeti held a grip and flew away with the prize.

Prior to the 2007 general election, the Shirikisho Party of Kenya (SPK) was in the headlines after local MPs, led by Cabinet Minister and then Matuga MP Chirau Ali Mwakwere, seized it and took it to President Mwai Kibaki’s newly founded Party of National Unity (PNU).

But during that election, Mwakwere and the rest of the politicians in his team jumped out of SPK and contested on PNU amid growing leadership wrangles as some officials pulled towards Raila Odinga’s ODM.

In its life that started prior to the 1997 general election, SPK has had two MPs in Parliament; Suleiman Shakombo of Likoni and Garama Kombe (Magarini). Since then, Shirikisho has been in a dormant phase.

Former Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala’s Republic Congress Party of Kenya,also known as Party of the Horse, was once touted as the ultimate political solution for the Coast region prior to the 2013 general election. But it was soon swallowed by Jubilee and put in the freezer. Mr Balala was appointed to the Cabinet, and his party died a natural death.

Pamoja African Alliance (PAA), which was formed close to the 2022 general election, was the newest child on the block in the list of Coast-centric parties. Like the rest, it promised to rally together locals and champion their issues, such as land rights and marginalisation of the region.

However, the party that is associated with Senate Speaker Amason Kingi soon joined Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Alliance and finally jumped into Kenya Kwanza in the eleventh hour in a dramatic change of heart.

Currently, there are fears that it could be swallowed by the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) that has been pushing for mergers of its partners. Already, the Amani National Congress (ANC) has merged with UDA in a campaign headed by President William Ruto to strengthen the ruling party.

Kilifi politician Naomi Cidi’s Umoja Summit Party of Kenya (USPK) marks the latest party domiciled in the Coast to be taken over by politicians from outside the Coast region.

A month ago, USPK was taken over by former ANC adherent Barrack Muluka as secretary general and Godfrey Kanoti as party leader after a fallout in ANC following the merger with UDA.

In an interview, the founders admit it costs an arm and a leg to run a political party, particularly if it has no members in Parliament and no revenue from the Political Parties’ kitty.

Cidi, a former Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) deputy managing director who served as USPK secretary general, has been relegated to be Muluka’s deputy while founder national chairman Matano Chengo is now Kanoti’s deputy.

The party, which held its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting at Bofa in Kilifi County two weeks ago, announced it would fill vacant positions, including the chairmanship, soon.