Tunai breaks silence, pledges to support BBI

**Narok Governor Samuel Tunai addresses the press after meeting with MPs and other county leaders on Monday**. [Robert Kiplagat, Standard]

Governor Samuel Tunai has thrown his weight behind the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).

Mr Tunai said yesterday that a meeting to sensitise the Maasai community about the BBI had been scheduled for February 17 in Narok.

"We have agreed with my counterparts Moses Lenolkulal (Samburu) and Joseph ole Lenku (Kajiado) that as Maa counties, we shall have a joint rally that will bring together political leaders, youth, clergy and residents,” said the governor.

Tunai, a close ally of Deputy President William Ruto, has been silent as debate rages on whether the Constitution should be changed.

But it was not clear whether the rally he was talking about was the same one announced by a BBI campaign team at a Mombasa rally attended by Raila Odinga last week.

The governor said that residents of the three counties faced almost similar challenges, therefore, the leaders would present a single memorandum to the BBI task force, which is chaired by Garissa Senator Yusuf Haji.

Parallel rallies

Tunai's statement came one day after a group of lawmakers allied to Ruto announced a schedule of parallel BBI rallies away from those being arranged by the ODM-led team.

Narok North MP Moitalel ole Kenta had earlier said the event would be held at Narok Stadium. But according to the BBI programme, the meeting was scheduled to take place at the Suswa Grounds in Narok East constituency.

"We shall talk with other leaders to agree on where the event will take place. As at now, we are yet to decide,” said Tunai.

The governor, who was accompanied by MPs Gabriel Tongoyo (Narok West), Lemanken Aramat (Narok East)and Gideon Konchellah (Kilgoris) hinted that some of the issues they wanted addressed included agriculture, land injustices and political representation.

The MPs said they would drum up support for BBI in their constituencies.

"The BBI initiative is not about 2022. The 2010 Constitution was passed with about 20 per cent areas that were set to be rectified and we feel that this initiative is set to make the corrections," said Mr Konchellah.