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Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen was on Wednesday shouted down during the launch of the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report at the Bomas of Kenya.
The event, attended by the country’s top leaders among them President Uhuru Kenyatta, DP William Ruto and ODM’s Raila Odinga saw Murkomen take issue with how Junet Mohammed was running the program.
“Even the way Junet you’re running the program, we have to make it an honest discussion.
“It will be a lie for me to leave this stage without saying that this program has been skewed to leave out other people of a different opinion.
“We must say it as it is!” said Murkomen amidst shouts of ‘No’ from the crowd.
However, the outspoken senator did not budge and continued with his speech.
“Just hold on, relax,” he told off Junet who seemed to making a line for the microphone.
“If we have to build an honest Kenya going forward we must, start with who mobilised the people who have come to this forum.
“If this podium is going to be used to lecturer other people and give others’ views, we must come out and speak our voice,” added Murkomen, fending off another attempt at taking the microphone from him.
The riled crowd got louder as shouts of ‘BBI’ were heard, with Embakasi East MP Babu Owino standing up to boo Murkomen.
It took the intervention of the BBI taskforce Chairman Senator Yusuf Haji to calm down the crowd, as he reiterated his belief that the report will be passed.
“Tuwe na heshima, rais wetu yuko hapa. Mimi naona BBI itapita. Mpe nafasi aseme yake,” urged Haji.
Murkomen was handed back the microphone and the remainder of his speech was in support of the report.
“I was sceptical about this report; I slept at 4 am in the morning reading it. I must say to Senator Haji and his team that I'm very proud.
“Contrary to the sceptical positions we had, we are beginning to have a conversation on how to sanitise out politics,” Murkomen proceeded.
After his speech, Murkomen dismissed the crowd saying, “kwendeni huko!”
