Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen on Thursday, January 23, alleged that he was on the receiving end of threats regarding the Saturday, January 25 Mombasa Building Bridges Initiatives consultative forum.
The Elgeyo Marakwet senator claimed that he had been informed that he would not be recognised during the forum, and would be humiliated.
"I have been threatened that if I attend the Mombasa BBI meeting I shall be humiliated by being denied a seat, not being allowed to talk or even if I am allowed to talk, I shall be heckled," Murkomen alleged.
Murkomen, in his message, questioned the agenda of the forum, or rather why he was threatened, yet the BBI advocated for inclusivity.
"If that’s what it takes to unite this country so be it and I am ready to absorb. Tukutane Mombasa," he stated.
This is after Murkomen led a section of Jubilee Party leaders in a press conference on January 21, where they reiterated their support for the BBI and stated that they would attend all the remaining BBI consultative forums.
"We will be participating in all public BBI rallies across the country and this weekend, we will be in Mombasa together with the BBI team," he declared.
However, he also aired out his misgivings on how the report was being peddled across the country.
"Unfortunately, even before the period was defined, and to our profound dismay, it has come to our attention that a section of the political leadership already commenced public rallies aimed at politicising the BBI process," he stated.
His declaration invited caution from front row BBI political leaders, including Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, who warned the Senate majority leader and fellow legislators against harbouring any ill motives against the process.
While addressing members of the public on Thursday, January 23 at Tononoka Grounds in Mombasa, where the meeting is expected to be held, Joho sent a stern warning to anyone seeking to disrupt the meeting.
"Let them be made aware that they can joke anywhere else in the country but it shall not be in Mombasa," he remarked.
At a separate press conference on Wednesday, January 22, Suna East MP Junet Mohammed welcomed Murkomen and other leaders of the Tanga Tanga faction of Jubilee to the forums but warned them against undermining the meeting.
“But if they are coming to attempt to undermine the meeting or cause chaos, then we are prepared for them. But if they are coming in good faith, then we are welcoming them just like other Kenyans because this is an open public meeting,” Mohammed stated.
During the presentation of the BBI report at the Bomas of Kenya on November 27, 2019, Murkomen was heckled as he delivered his speech.
He found himself at the receiving end of the wrath of delegates and members of the public present after he claimed the speakers chosen to address the audience were skewed.
The senator claimed that leaders allied to ODM leader Raila Odinga were openly favoured and given first priority in addressing the forum. He alleged that the organisers of the forum, intentionally sidelined those they felt were against the BBI report.
"This program has been skewed to leave other people who have different opinions to speak what they want to say. If we are going to build an honest Kenya going forward, we must be able to put our views on the ground," Murkomen remarked.
The heckles, however, could not stop the determined Jubilee leader from airing his displeasure.
"It starts with those who mobilised the people who came to this podium. Because if this podium is going to be used to lecture other people then give them a chance to express their views. We must come out and give out our voices," Murkomen stated.
With the Mombasa BBI consultative meeting set to be hosted by Joho and frontlined by a several leaders allied to President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga, Kenyans are looking forward to how it will all unravell, especially after Murkomen announced his attendance.
The BBI meeting will be held on Saturday, January 25, and will be graced by the BBI taskforce.
