Former senator says central leaders were sidelined at BBI rally

Outspoken former nominated senator Paul Njoroge (pictured) has blamed the organisers of the Meru Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) rally for denying “real Mt Kenya leaders a chance to address the meet”.

He says they instead gave anti-BBI agitators time to disparage the unity pact between President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition boss Raila Odinga.

The ex-senator, who was born and brought up in Naivasha, said he and other leaders including former Kiambu Governor William Kabogo were not allowed to address the rally.

Governors Kiraitu Murungi, Anne Waiguru, Nyaga Wambora and Muthomi Njuki and Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya addressed the meet.

“They (organisers) failed to foresee the undesirable outcome of allowing the anti-BBI team to address the public thereby enabling them to get a chance to manipulate Kenyans and spread false allegations,” Njoroge said of yesterday’s rally at Kinoru Stadium.

He accused pro-William Ruto legislators of disrupting the meeting and wants them barred from future rallies.  

“Led by Senator Kipchumba Murkomen and Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria, the leaders disrespected the Meru people and Mt Kenya region people at large and even the President who is the kingpin of the region by trying to compromise the spirit of the handshake between him and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga,” Njoroge said.

Murkomen was the only Ruto ally who spoke at the rally and that came after he stood for more than an hour because he could not find a seat.

Kuria, who also suffered the same humiliation, left after Murkomen spoke.

Falling short of providing evidence, Njoroge accused Murkomen and Kuria of planning to disrupt the rally by importing goons to the stadium.

Njoroge held that those who left the meeting with duo were not from the Mt Kenya region.

“It portrayed a bad image of the Mt Kenya region people to the rest of Kenyans”.

Njoroge censured the organisers of future BBI rallies to take their time to carefully plan for the rallies to avoid more distractions.

“The president should also ensure that he has a special meeting with the organisers to foster effective and efficient planning of these meetings,” he said, adding that anti-BBI legislators should be locked out of the rallies.

The Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) consultative forum heads to Nakuru this week on March 7.

“I suggest that the meeting should be pushed to a later date to allow more civic education to be carried out to the general public,” Njoroge suggested.