The BBI report on Monday received a boost after embattled Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetang’ula and the party’s Mt Kenya delegates backed its proposals.
Wetang’ula, however, urged President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga to exercise flexibility and open doors for talks.
“We want all Kenyans to feel part and parcel of this constitutional amendment process. If we have good proposals that can make the document better, we don’t need to lock them out, we still have room to accommodate them,” the Bungoma senator said.
He was addressing 120 Ford-K delegates from the region in Kirinyaga. Senator Wetang’ula further pleaded with the political class to desist from raising political temperatures, cautioning that that might create divisions ahead of the 2022 General Election. He urged politicians to support the President’s vision of unifying Kenyans.
Ford Kenya is embroiled in leadership wrangles, with one faction led by Kanduyi MP Wafula Wamunyinyi and Tongaren MP Eseli Simiyi. Last month, Wetang’ula’s team dismissed a notice that had been released by Wamunyinyi’s faction announcing an NDC that was to take place last Saturday. It was postponed.
Wetang’ula has been traversing the country to meet grassroots officials on a mission to popularise the party and his candidature ahead of an upcoming party election expected to be held during a national delegates’ convention.
“They cannot purport to say they have support at the grassroots when we have been meeting all the county party leaders during our trips. Over the weekend, we were in Uasin Gishu where we met the county delegates and in today’s meeting, all the genuine county party chairpersons and delegates in the Mt Kenya region were in attendance and affirmed their support for us,” Wetang’ula said.
Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa, who is the party chief whip, told off Wamunyinyi’s team for creating division in the party. He said they will be in for a rude shock during the polls.
“We are waiting for the relaxation of the Covid-19 directives so we can hold our NDC where we will resoundingly rally behind our party leader Moses Wetang’ula,” Wamalwa said.
Gitonga Njeru, the Kirinyaga party chairman, criticised Wamunyinyi’s move to conduct party business in disregard for the party constitution. He said delegates are the ones to decide who will assume the leadership mantle, insisting that the voice of the delegates must be respected.
His Laikipia counterpart James Wambugu echoed the sentiments, praised “Wetang’ula’s transparent leadership” and supported his candidature.