Nakuru resident leaders lead by County Assembly Deputy Speaker Samuel Kipkemoi Tonui issued a stern warning on the pronouncements by leaders during consultative Building Bridges Initiatives (BBI) forums.
The leaders held a presser on Monday, February 24, where they expressed their disappointment at sentiments by a section of leaders during the Narok BBI meeting that was held at the William ole Ntimama Stadium on February 22.
The irate leaders castigated the views and pronouncements made with regards to land ownership among the Maa community. They termed sentiments by Narok Senator Ledama ole Kina as divisive and something they would not want to be repeated or even uttered in Nakuru.
"When the BBI will be in Nakuru, people should mind their words. We will not allow such words to be reiterated anywhere in this country," Tonui warned, further criticising Ledama's arguments that land bought within the Maa community should not be fenced because it was some sort of temporary ownership.
The area resident leaders condemned Ledama, alleging that he was bringing back the days where land ownership in the Maa community was 'risky'. They argued that the constitution was elaborate on land ownership, and therefore, the BBI should not be used to incite ethnic profiling in this country, instead, should foster peace.
They called for the arrest of any individual guilty of incitement.
"Our hearts are saddened by the utterances by leaders in this country, I heard them talk of Kedong, that is where we have the dry port, the railway goes through the place, is it to mean that our economy will be derailed by their words? We cannot allow that," the leaders stated, further noting that the narrative was not of the country's economic interest.
On February 22, Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui hit out at a section of leaders over remarks they made during the Narok edition of the BBI rally.
He criticised leaders who made addresses at the event, stating that they had it all wrong with their pronouncements on land ownership, further noting that their utterances were inciteful.
"Utterances attributed to a section of leaders during the Narok BBI meeting in relation to non-indigenous landowners and reclaiming land across three counties is retrogressive and ill-informed," Kinyanjui stated.
He argued that every Kenyan had the right to own land anywhere in the country as long as it was acquired legally.
"The right to ownership of property is guaranteed by the constitution and not a gift from politicians. The days of ethnic mobilisation through incitement are long gone," Kinyanjui asserted.
"It is most unfortunate that such sentiments come at a time when the nation is seeking to heal the wounds of intolerance and political incitement," he added.
Kinyanjui stated that he was disappointed at the narrative driven by a section of leaders at the rally, terming it divisive. He proclaimed that the BBI should be used to unite Kenyans rather than create a rift.
"We are also concerned about leaders who are seeking to hijack the BBI to pursue selfish political agenda that may cause ethnic disharmony. This has led to deliberate distortions to the BBI concept of national inclusion and harmony," Kinyanjui stated.
"We shall not be party to any associations that seek to create a wedge between communities that have lived in harmony for generations," he pronounced.
