Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa and Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya met elders from the Bukusu and Sabaot communities at Wamalwa's Kitale home on Thursday, June 4.
The forum came after a meeting hosted by Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli at his home in Kajiado County on Friday, May 29 saw Oparanya and Wamalwa endorsed to serve as spokesmen for the Western Kenya region.
Oparanya revealed that they had embarked on implementing the resolutions of the Kajiado meeting, among them rallying grassroots support for the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) fronted by President Uhuru Kenyatta and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party Leader Raila Odinga.
He further disclosed that they were determined to champion unity among various communities living in the region in line with the BBI spirit.
In addition, Oparanya revealed that they had begun identifying stalled government projects in Western Kenya which they would push the national government to complete.
"We agreed in Kajiado that we support BBI, and the message we are taking to our people down here is to support BBI and that by supporting BBI, we support President Uhuru Kenyatta and the former Prime Minister Raila Amollo Odinga.
"Secondly, we have identified projects within Western that have stalled. They were started maybe because of politics, but they have stalled. There are other factories like Mumias and Nzoia which actually are not working as expected, they are closed," Oparanya noted.
He added that while Mumias had started minimal operations, the two spokesmen wanted to find a way of reviving other factories in the region.
"The only way is to be closer to the government," he asserted.
Oparanya also voiced his support for mobilising the Western region to unite, arguing that it was the only way to secure their political and economic future.
The meeting with elders was also attended by leaders including Busia Governor Sospeter Ojaamong as well as former MPs Noah Wekesa and Musikari Kombo.
Speaking after the meeting, the elders stated that Oparanya and Wamalwa had their full support to work to unite the people, in addition to lobbying for meaningful development projects from the national government.
They argued that by virtue of Oparanya's position as Chair of the Council of Governors (CoG) and Wamalwa's as Devolution CS, they were better placed to advocate for the region's interests.
They called for an end to incessant wrangling, stating that a united community would offer them greater bargaining power amid political realignments.
Watch Oparanya's speech below:
