- The meetings come at a time when several opposition leaders are publicly calling for the improvement of the document to have an Executive Prime Minister as opposed to non-Executive Premier who is appointed and fired by the President.
- In Nyanza, Raila is expected to preside over the Friday’s ‘Kisii declaration’ that will culminate into the lake region taking a common position on the report.
Image: /COURTESY
ODM leader Raila Odinga’s allies are strategically laying the ground for the BBI initiative ahead of the second phase of public engagement.
The second phase is expected to alter the BBI proposals with an emphasis on the Executive structure, which many quarters have dismissed as weak.
Already, two meetings have been planned this month in Nyanza and Western to not only drum up support for the document but also to suggest new changes to be effected in the second round of engagement.
Star has established that similar meetings - to have robust discussions on the report - are being planned for Central, Coast and Eastern regions.
The meetings come at a time when several opposition leaders are publicly calling for the improvement of the document to have an Executive Prime Minister as opposed to non-Executive Premier who is appointed and fired by the President.
In Nyanza, Raila is expected to preside over Friday’s ‘Kisii declaration’ that will culminate into the lake region taking a common position on the report.
The Kisii meeting ias expected to bring together about 3,000 delegates. Those set to attend include governors, senators, MPs, MCAs, elders, religious leaders, opinion leaders, women, youth, businesspeople, small traders and professionals from the region.
Invites have been extended to all elected leaders in the region.
Yesterday, Homa Bay Woman Representative Gladys Wanga confirmed receiving an invitation. She said the Kisii meeting is crucial as it will enable the area to interrogate the document, give views on the proposals and forge a common front.
“This is a very important meeting. This is a people engagement process,” Wanga told the Star.
The Western meeting, scheduled to take place on January 18 at Bukhungu Stadium, is being coordinated by Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya and Cotu secretary general Francis Atwoli.
Oparanya has insisted that the meeting, which has split the Mulembe nation, is meant to discuss the BBI report and take a common position as a community and has nothing to do with installing a spokesman.
Allies of Deputy President William Ruto and pro-Raila in the populous region have taken different stands over the Bukhungu rally. It has been reported that Uhuru might attend the forum.
Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa and his Sirisia counterpart John Waluke described the meeting as ODM’s, saying that Atwoli has no standings to call a meeting for the Luhya community.
“Atwoli is an outcast who pretends to be a life member of Kanu when he is just but working for Raila. As far as we are concerned, we don’t regard Atwoli as a serious man, and he cannot purport to plan a meeting to discuss Luhya unity let alone BBI,” Barasa told the Star.
Waluke, one of Ruto’s pointmen in Bungoma county, said Uhuru is under pressure from Raila and some of his handlers to “use backdoor means to extend his term”.
“People like Atwoli who have refused to give way for young people to lead Cotu and always buying his way and Raila a perennial election loser are busy lying to the President to stay in power more than what the Constitution provides,” he said.
He said he will rally the Western region to reject any report that expands the Executive, saying the creation of the extra positions would mean over-taxing Kenyans.
“They are wasting our time. We already have a report. Let them just print several copies and share with Kenyans to read.”
However, allies of Raila – Busia Woman Representative Florence Mutua and her Kakamega counterpart Elsie Muhanda – said the meeting is strictly about BBI and nothing to do with Luhya leader and post-Uhuru succession politics.
Muhanda said, “Of course you cannot rule out in totality the Luhya unity talks."
“We should stop speculation. Let those who want to attend turn up. As women, we support the BBI process, the report has proposed affirmative action for women and more funds for devolution and therefore we should support it,” she said.
Butere MP Tindi Mwale (ANC) said he was not aware of the meeting, and he will only take a position once he receives an official invite.
“Just as we [ANC] said let’s wait for BBI report before taking a position, even on this said meeting. As ANC, we have not been informed about it,” he said.
Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang’ who had earlier been reported as opposed to the Kisii meeting denied the media reports stating he has no problem with the consultative meeting.
According to the Senator, the meeting is Raila’s but has been hijacked by the governors who he maintains have not shown seriousness in improving the economy of the lake region.
“I have no problem with us consulting on the BBI because other regions have done it. That meeting is not theirs; my understanding is that it is Raila’s meeting,” Kajwang’ said.