Bukhungu meeting: Show of might as leaders champion for taskforce report

Just as anticipated in the numerous meetings by President Uhuru Kenyatta with leaders in Mombasa over Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), the government might was felt at Bukhungu stadium in Kakamega.

Attempts by anti-BBI crusaders to hold a parallel meeting were thwarted by security officers. In order to avert chaos, contingents of officers was deployed in strategic areas including the home of a leader opposed to BBI.

The presence of Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa, the deputy Head of Public Service Wanyama Musyambo, Principal Secretaries and Chief Administrative Secretaries signalled the President’s and opposition leader Raila Odinga’s resolve to champion the BBI report. During the meeting attended by thousands of residents, Raila told BBI critics that together with Kenyatta they will spearhead the BBI process to fruition. At one point, the meeting was turned into a public lecture by ANC party leader Musalia Mudavadi and his Ford Kenya counterpart Senator Moses Wetang’ula (Bungoma) who had indicated they would snub the meeting.

It emerged that the two leaders turned up at Bukhungu stadium after calls by State House. Speaker after speaker hit out at Mudavadi and Wetang’ula for opposing the BBI and the agenda to unite Western Kenya leaders.

The ANC and Ford Kenya leaders defended themselves saying they were not opposed to BBI report but wanted a national discourse driven by Wanjiku.

“When the President unveiled the BBI report, I supported it and said it should focus on people’s problems going forward, Kenyans should interrogate and fine-tune it. It should not be a political ploy to bring divisions,” Mudavadi said.