The Mombasa Republican Council (MRC) have brought coast land problem to the limelight after boldly stating they want out of Kenya and form a new country, probably called Pwani.
Coast province is unique in that most people live on land they don't own and have no clue who the real owner of the property is.
Now Muslim leaders at the Coast have asked the government to engage the Mombasa Republican Council in dialogue, supposedly after the government removes the group from list of banned organizations that include the mungiki and kamjeshi.
In its manifesto, the Mombasa Republican Council proclaims that their country (Coast province) has become a field for Kenyans to steal their wealth and demands the removal of Kenya’s administration and with the end result being an independent country with Mombasa as the capital city.
The major grievances that gave rise to the MRC are land matters, employment opportunities and generally poor economic situation. Many native Mombasa and Coast residents decry the fact that the major industries there including tourism and farming are dominated by upcountry Kenyans (Wabara) or foreigners.
Any group or organization that has many members will naturally attract support from leading politicians. If the MRC recruits vigorously, they will get political support from well established parties and their demands might be met half-way.
Secession is a long short, but some form of land redistribution in the coast region is a possibility.
