• The elder claimed the planned meeting is not to discuss the BBI, but rather a platform to discredit senior Western leaders and create a platform for ODM leader Raila Odinga.
• They said the Luhya community is not looking for a political broker to show them direction.
Elders of Imbinga ya Mulogooli in Vihiga have claimed the January 18 meeting in Bukhungu Stadium, Kakamega, will be used to discredit leaders from the region.
They claimed the meeting is a move by Cotu secretary general Francis Atwoli’s to hawk the Luhya community for his gain. Atwoli is the organiser of the meeting.
The elder claimed the planned meeting is not to discuss the BBI, but rather a platform to discredit senior Western leaders and create a platform for ODM leader Raila Odinga.
They spoke in Chavakali at the weekend. The elders were led by patron Edward Ambeva and the organising secretary Joseph Magodzwi.
Magodzwi said the Luhya community is not looking for a political broker to show them direction.
“Those who pretend to offer political directions are the worst enemies of the community for driving their divisive and selfish agenda,” Magodzwi said.
They have urged Atwoli to address the issues of workers' poor pay, retrenchment of thousands of employees in the agricultural sector and the collapse of Mumias Sugar instead of meddling in the Luhya leadership.
“It’s embarrassing that one of the most respected Luhya personalities can easily be turned into a demagogue against his people,” Magodzwi said.
Earlier, Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang'ula had claimed the meeting would not benefit the Luhya community.
The elders’ reactions come after Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya had affirmed that the meeting is still on as planned.
“When we meet the BBI team for the second round, we need to make our stand as the Luhya community. We want to know what the BBI entails for Western region at large,” Oparanya said.
Oparanya had dismissed claims of Luhya unity and endorsing the Luhya Kingpin, a narration that the elders have dismissed.