• However, Kwale county director of communication Daniel Nyassy said Mvurya was to attend the meeting but was forced to attend to an emergency.
• Nyassy said there was a crisis at the Msambweni Referral Hospital after the hospital's generator blew up, and the X-Ray machines broke down.
Image: SHABAN OMAR
Delegates from Kwale County of Friday expressed their disappointment after Governor Salim Mvurya skipped the Coast BBI delegates conference ahead of Saturday's rally at the Mama Ngina Waterfront Park in Mombasa.
All the other five governors from the Coast region attended the conference.
During the morning session, when Opposition chief Raila Odinga presided over the meeting, Mvurya's seat remained empty.
However, Kwale woman representative Zulekha Hassan occupied the seat to represent Kwale during the afternoon session, which was presided over by Taita Taveta Governor Granton Samboja.
"It is sad and a shame that our governor is not here," said Zulekha, who spoke to the Star.
"It sends the wrong message that Kwale does not support the BBI. Kwale is fully backing the BBI."
The woman representative said the Coast region and Kwale in particular has an opportunity to have the problems bedeviling it addressed.
She said Kenya is blessed to have a second opportunity to change the constitution so as to have issues that affect residents negatively addressed and rectified.
"Some countries have the same constitution that has governed them for 200 years. We are lucky we are getting a second opportunity to have it changed for better service delivery. We should grab this opportunity," said the MP.
Hassan said Coast will not get another opportunity to have its problems addressed through the constitution anytime soon.
"We have problems of land, minerals, education, among others that need to be addressed," she said.
She said Kwale has to be part of Kenya's history.
"We want us to stand among the people when history is written. We want to be part of that history," she said.
However, Kwale county director of communication Daniel Nyassy said Mvurya was to attend the meeting but was forced to attend to an emergency.
Nyassy said there was a crisis at the Msambweni Referral Hospital after the hospital's generator blew up, and the X-Ray machines broke down.
"There was outcry from patients and residents so he had to rush there to evaluate the situation and help," Nyassy said on phone.
Nyassy said Mvurya fully supports the BBI.
"He issued a statement two days ago saying he will marshal support for the BBI at the grassroots level. We are fully behind it," said Mvurya's spokesperson.
He said Mvurya will 'most likely' attend the Saturday rally at Mama Ngina Waterfront Park.
"Maybe, Zulekha was not aware of the predicament in Kwale. She was misinformed," Nyassy said.
Coast MPs allied to the Tangatanga faction who were earlier in the morning pelted with stones by goons were also at the delegates' meeting.
MPs Mohammed Ali (Nyali), Aisha Jumwa (Malindi), Christine Zawadi (nominated Senator), who were addressing the press outside the Lotus Hotel, were caught by surprise by the goons who numbered about 20.
No one was hurt in the incident.
They said the intimidation would not stop them from attending the delegates meeting in the afternoon nor the rally on Saturday.
Ali said the BBI is for Coast people to air the issues they want addressed.
"We will not be intimidated. This is an opportunity we cannot waste," he said.