'We want to meet and also make demands to the government to support economic activities in this region like it has done to other areas'
Image: FILE
Last week's Mumias rally that was cancelled by police will be held on Saturday after authorities gave organisers the go-ahead.
The meeting was cancelled at the last minute with authorities citing security fears following coincidence with the BBI rally that was staged at the Bukhungu Stadium in Kakamega town.
The meeting was to be held at the historic Nabongo Grounds in Mumias last Saturday. It had been organised by MPs and politicians allied to Deputy President William Ruto.
Former Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa and former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale were teargassed as police blocked people from accessing the venue.
ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi and his Ford Kenya counterpart Moses Wetang’ula who were expected to address the gathering instead opted to attend the BBI meeting in Kakamega.
On Friday, National Assembly Chief Whip and Mumias East MP Ben Washiali said police had licensed the Mumias meeting.
Washiali said the meeting will discuss western region’s economy including the troubled sugar industry.
“We want to meet and also make demands to the government to support economic activities in this region like it has done to other areas. The Sagana meeting between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Central leaders resulted in a number of state interventions in the tea, coffee and dairy sectors and we want the President to do the same for the sugar, maize and cotton industry for us,” Washiali said.
Speaking during the BBI meeting at Bukhungu on Saturday, Wetang’ula said Luhyas, Tesos and Sabaots in western were not strangers in Kenya and were entitled to development projects and services.
Washiali said the leaders will meet the management of struggling Mumias and Nzoia Sugar companies before the rally.
“We want the sugar task force report to be handed over to the President so that the government can revive of the sugar industry whose imminent collapse spells doom for the economy of this (western) region,” Washiali said.
Washiali said that it was time for the Luhya leaders to put their heads together to address the threats to the region’s economy.
edited by peter obuya