Suna East MP Junet Mohammed on Wednesday, January 22, set conditions for Senate majority leader Kipchumba Murkomen and other leaders allied to Deputy President William Ruto to attend the upcoming Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) forums.
Murkomen had announced at a press conference on Tuesday, January 21, that members of the Ruto-allied Tangatanga faction would attend the meetings and present their views, a u-turn from past declarations that the meetings were a waste of public resources and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) campaign events.
Alongside Kieni MP Kanini Kega and Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja, Junet thanked the leaders for their change of heart as he maintained that they would not be allowed to disrupt or undermine the forums in any way.
Junet referenced the BBI report launch at the Bomas of Kenya on November 27, 2019, where Murkomen was booed after accusing the emcee, Junet, and the event organisers of planning a biased event.
"We are welcoming them, but they must come with decorum. They must come respectfully like Kenyans who want to attend a meeting that is for Kenyans and about peace and unity.
"But if they are coming in any way to attempt to undermine that meeting, at any slightest chaos we are prepared for them, that's the information I want to give them," Junet remarked.
He further questioned the motive behind the leaders' decision, citing past statements from leaders including Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei that they would hold their own meetings parallel to the BBI events.
"Senator Cherargei was very clear. He said they are going to tell Kenyans on Monday their parallel meetings. I don't know why you were saying you want parallel meetings then now you want to attend a meeting that is for all Kenyans.
"If they are coming to join us in good faith we are welcoming them as Kenyans because BBI is about inclusivity, not exclusivity. We want everyone to be included in the BBI process.
"But as you know politicians, they preach water and drink wine. He tells you today that he supports the meeting, then he will come with goons there and create chaos so that they can get an excuse to do their own meetings...we will not allow it to happen," he asserted.
Sakaja thanked the leaders for 'seeing the light' as he noted they were free to organize their own additional meetings.
"What we want to tell our colleagues is that they should come in a very good mood. Let them come with smiles. It is jubilation, it's a happy thing. Let them not levy any conditions, and they are also free to organise many more meetings," he maintained.
The next BBI consultative meeting will be held in Mombasa on Monday, January 25.
Watch a video of Junet's press-conference below:
