Former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale on Friday, January 10, warned President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM Party leader Raila Odinga against visiting Western Kenya to drum up support for the BBI report.
In a Twitter post, Khalwale accused Kenyatta and Odinga of being pushing for a report that does not have a direct positive effect on Kenyans.
"You are coming again to lecture us on the divisive BBI which you are not able to sell in Mt Kenya. Our people see no stake in it. Go away!” wrote Khalwale.
Khalwale also accused the handshake duo of denying Kakamega leader a chance to speak about the region’s challenges during the October 2018 Mashujaa Day celebrations held at Bukhungu Stadium.
“President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila, at the 2018 Kakamega Mashujaa Day, you blocked us from speaking and lied to our people about [the] revival of the sugar industry,” wrote the former senator.
On Thursday, January 9, 12 parliamentarians from Western Kenya vowed to boycott a proposed meeting to unite Luhya leaders slated for Saturday, January 11.
According to Capital FM, the meeting was planned under the advice of Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya and Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli, to woo the region towards supporting the BBI report.
Nambale MP Sakwa Bunyasi, who led the parliamentarians group, indicated that the region's leaders were not consulted and the agenda of the meeting remained scanty.
“As legislators from Western Kenya, we want to state clearly that we don’t know anything about this proposed meeting. We do not know where it was mooted and who the organizers are.
“Basic courtesy and common decency demand that if anyone is organizing a leaders’ meeting in any part of the country, he/she should involve the area leaders,” remarked Bunyasi.
Bunyasi further accused Atwoli of forcing agendas to the Luhya community, posing as the region's kingpin.
“We do not know where Atwoli derives the mandate to speak for the people of Western Kenya when they have elected leaders.
“We know him as elected Secretary General of COTU and we understand him when he speaks about industrial issues. He loses us however when he presumes to go beyond that,” added the MP.
Bunyasi was accompanied by MPs John Waluke (Sirisia), Tindi Mwale,(Butere), Benjamin Washiali (Mumias East), Emmanuel Wangwe (Navakholo), Malulu Injendi (Malaba), Alfred Agoi (Sabatia) and Eseli Simiyu (Tongaren).
