Western leaders allied to Deputy President William Ruto will finally hold their meeting in Mumias after obtaining a permit.
Their event had been banned on Saturday, January 18, as it coincided with the BBI rally that took place at Bukhungu Stadium.
Former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale and Mumias East MP Ben Washiali stated that they were ready for the meeting which would focus on economic issues affecting the region.
"Despite the violent, brutal and uncouth disruption of the Western Economic Forum on Saturday, we remain unbowed. We will reconvene at the same Nabongo Grounds 25/01/20. Our economy remains our priority," Khalwale wrote on his Facebook page.
He added, "We are asking the police not to interfere with the meeting the way they did last Saturday."
On, January 18, police fired tear gas at the politicians and their supporters at Ekero and Shibale and later followed them to the Shibale market at a time when Echesa was addressing the crowd, forcing them to disperse.
Khalwale and Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa had long shown signs of a showdown, with their insistence that they would hold the condemned rally to discuss the sugar industry in Western Kenya, which they claimed had been neglected by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
"Uhuru gave Ksh3 billion for coffee, Ksh3 billion for tea, Ksh3 billion to milk farmers in Central Kenya, and Ksh3 billion for the port of Kisumu. What's wrong when we as the leaders of the Western region meeting in Mumias and demand what is rightfully ours?" Khalwale was quoted.
On the other hand, the BBI meeting is expected to be held in Mombasa, led by ODM leader Raila Odinga.
Some of the DPs allies are expected to be at the meeting following their press conference on Tuesday, January 21, where they declared that all Jubilee Party leaders had resolved to join Raila in his BBI consultative meetings.
The BBI rally, which had been scheduled at Tononoka Grounds was moved to Mama Ngina Waterfront Park over security reasons.
