• According to Kalonzo, the letter 'A' in Gema refers to Akamba, even though the acronym is usually used to refer to Gikuyu, Embu, Meru Association.
• The former vice president spoke on Saturday during a Mt Kenya BBI rally in Kinoru Stadium, Meru county.
Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka wants the Akamba reintroduced into Gema, an association of communities from the Mt Kenya region.
Kalonzo said it was not clear why Kambas are no longer part of Gema's activities and engagements. The letter 'A' in Gema referred to Akamba, but when the community was dropped, the acronym changed to Gikuyu, Embu, Meru Association.
"I'm part of the Mt Kenya region. This is what used to be Gema, from here to Tseikuru. You only pass Gakoromone, Mitunguu and you are already in Tseikuru. I was in Meru School in Form 5 and Meru is of Mt Kenya East. We are neighbours here and Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki can attest to this," Kalonzo said.
The former vice president spoke on Saturday during a Mt Kenya BBI rally in Kinoru Stadium, Meru county. He said Kambas are part of Mt Kenya and support the resolutions the region handed over to the BBI taskforce led by Garissa Senator Yusuf Haji.
“Why did you scrap Akamba from Gema? I want to ask that question to you, [Eala MP Mpuru] Aburi, [former Jubilee vice chairman David] Murathe and others. It used to be Gikuyu, Embu, Meru and Akamba. I know I am at home and agree with all your resolutions. We're really at home and support the proposals," he said.
Kalonzo said he fully supports the Building Bridges Initiative and suggested that a referendum question be framed. He wants the Senate made the upper house to strengthen devolution. He proposed that Kitui, Kisii and Meru counties be split, Meru into Nyambene and Imenti. He also supported calls for a third-tier government.
Kalonzo said Kenya needs an economic revolution, which can come through agriculture so the youth are empowered to engage in the sector. Failure to achieve that could lead to 'another' revolution, he cautioned.
He said he has championed an initiative similar to the BBI in South Sudan. He said he enlightened them on how they should form a government. Rebel leader Riek Machar was recently sworn in as vice president in a coalition government with President Salva Kiir. He had served in the same position before he fell out with Kiir and went into exile.
Kalonzo said individuals charged in court with corruption should step down no matter their position and demanded such cases be concluded in the shortest time possible.
"I am proud of Meru people. They are fearless, one example is DCI [George] Kinoti. The BBI will come and go. All of us are subject to scrutiny. The president has given authority that no one is indispensable when it comes to proper conduct and adherence to the rule of law.
"If you have stolen, it doesn’t matter whether you are speaker, deputy president or whoever, only President Uhuru is protected. Step aside and your case dealt with within six months," he said.