Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa, on Tuesday, January 14, urged her supporters to boycott the public discussions of the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).
In an angry video rant posted on her social media account, the fiery lawmaker urged Malindi residents not to discuss the proposed report in the wake of President Uhuru Kenyatta's cabinet reshuffle that saw the sacking of Agriculture CS Mwangi Kiunjuri.
Jumwa justified her call to action by claiming that the team steering the BBI discourse had purposely excluded a section of Kenyans to which she belonged and as such, she urged, it was time to detach from the BBI process.
"I am urging Coast residents, especially the Mijikenda, that we should not talk about BBI. We have been shown that it is not about us. So why should we discuss it in the first place?
"I beg you because I feel pain. We need to speak out so that our voices can be heard. I feel that I have been heard and God will take care," stated Jumwa.
The sacking of Kiunjuri, a close ally of Deputy President William Ruto, as is Jumwa, is speculated to have led to the Malindi MP's social media outburst as the rift between Uhuru- and Ruto-allied leaders continued to escalate with newspaper headlines painting Uhuru as a president unable to act to stifle dissent in his own party.
In his presser, Kiunjuri, who was replaced by Trade CS Peter Munya, claimed that his sacking was not a surprise given what he described as changing political winds in the country.
“I am not lacking in means. I know the President took his actions and this must have its own consequences.
“For every action, there is a reaction. You keep it cool I keep it cool. You talk tough, I act tough,” remarked Kiunjuri.
Uhuru also issued directives that aimed at uplifting farmers, especially in the milk and coffee sectors.
Uhuru directed Treasury to release Ksh1 billion for the milk sector to ensure that excess milk was bought from farmers as well as setting up milk plants.
"I have directed the National Treasury to release a further Ksh575 million to New KCC for two milk plants, one in Nyeri and one in Nyahururu, to enhance their processing capacity," stated the president.
In the coffee sector, he tasked the Treasury to operationalise a Ksh3 billion Cherry Revolving Fund within a 30-day period for the benefit of coffee farmers.
