Charged Bukhungu BBI rally brought together Western leaders
Only twenty minutes of the entire day was spent discussing and endorsing creation of an executive premier position in the constitution during a controversial regional Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) rally held at Bukhungu stadium in Kakamega on Saturday.
For close to six hours, Raila and a delegation of leaders from Nyanza region, and a supporting cast of leaders from North Eastern, Mt Kenya and Rift Valley watched as COTU secretary general Francis Atwoli, ODM and rebel ANC MPs harangued and scolded Luhya political kingpins Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetangula.
Atwoli who was honoured to address the meeting after Mudavadi and Wetangula was jeered repeatedly for suggesting he would organise Bukhungu II to coronate a new community spokesman as well as candidates for county and national assembly positions. He picked on Mudavadi three years ago.
In a speech characterised by innuendo and insolence against the two leaders, Atwoli attracted booing for suggesting that Mudavadi had no chance against Ruto and that his only chance rested with an expanded executive structure of government, which is provided by BBI.
This comes after attempts by the rally conveners to belittle the two leaders met a cautionary counsel from Kanu secretary general Nick Salat, nominated MP Maina Kamanda and Zachary Onyonka. “Musalia ni mtoto wenu mshikeni mkono na mumlete pamajo na wengine. Msikosanishe watoto wenu,” Kamanda urged.
Salat said the region had a perfect opportunity to produce the next president backed by the voter population while Onyonka said a Luhya was ready to lead the country and has the goodwill but is the greatest enemy to his dream.
Earlier, Vihiga governor Wilber Otichillo read the resolution of the Nzoia guest house leaders retreat on the BBI report held last week.
Former national assembly speaker Kenneth Marende was quickly ushered in to put the resolution that suggested the creation of the executive premier to a public vote by acclamation.
Former attorney-general Amos Wako who is a member of the BBI steering committee was invited to conduct the validation of the recommendation.
He was approached by Senator Cleophas Malala and ODMs Nabi Nabwera and shortly after, he wound up his talk on BBI.
Malala as master of ceremony for the event took over the stewardship of the meeting, allowing ODM leaders or those with inclination to COTU boss to address.
He overlooked host MP Titus Khamala (ANC) as well as Jubilee MPs Bernard Shinali and Emmanuel Wangwe.
He was, however, stopped and replaced by Bungoma governor Wycliffe Wangamati when he attempted to demean Wetang’ula.
