The Building Bridges Initiative conference to be held in Kisii on Friday will not cost the county Sh18 million, Governor James Ongwae has said.
Ongwae said that individuals who are spreading such propaganda have been hired to deceive residents about the agenda of the meeting.
Speaking when he called in on a local FM station, the county chief said that the six counties will foot transportation costs for delegates to the meeting.
“I heard some people are spreading cheap propaganda that the county is going to spend Sh18 million. These are but white lies aimed at deceiving the people,” Ongwae said.
He said that apart from governors Anyang' Nyong'o (Kisumu), Cyprian Awiti (Homa Bay), Cornel Rasanga (Siaya) and John Nyagarama (Nyamira), they are expecting 10 more of their colleagues from other counties.
Ongwae said that ODM leader Raila Odinga, Council of Governors chairman Wycliffe Oparanya, Interior CS Fred Matiang’i, his Education counterpart George Magoha and senior government officials from the region will attend the meeting.
The county boss said that the Nyanza region has a population of 8.5 million people who will be represented by the leaders attending the forum.
“It will be impossible for the more than eight million people to be given chance to give their views on BBI but they will be represented by their leaders,” he said.
The conference will come up with a resolution to be presented to the BBI team during the second round of consultations.
Meanwhile, MCAs from Kisii have warned youths against taking handouts to disrupt the meeting.
The MCAs led by Paul Angwenyi, Kepha Mogaka, Timothy Ogugu and John Ombati told the youths that they will suffer dire consequences from security agencies.
The ward reps said they have information that some individuals will be dishing out money to the youths to cause chaos.
