The Building Bridges Initiative caravan heads to Kitui County for its fourth rally on Saturday, amid efforts by Jubilee-linked business tycoon Peter Muthoka to unite the Kamba community.
Mr Muthoka, who has been President Uhuru Kenyatta’s point man in Ukambani, has cracked the whip and forced political factions that were hostile to each other back into talking terms.
Using his deep pockets, the tycoon has demonstrated his influence in the politics of Ukambani by bringing together Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka and governors who have been opposed to his leadership.
Granted, the shrewd businessman enjoys cordial relations with all Kamba leaders due to his perceived neutrality, but his ability to scuttle a looming political confrontation between the two camps that were running parallel BBI rallies has caused ripples in the region.
Before the leaders’ meeting he convened at Stoni Athi Resort in Machakos County on Wednesday, Mr Muthoka worked behind the scenes to get Mr Musyoka and the governors Alfred Mutua (Machakos), Charity Ngilu (Kitui) and Kivutha Kibwana (Makueni) to agree to hold joint BBI rallies.
He first convened a meeting of three county assembly speakers, who were accompanied by majority and minority leaders of their respective counties, to discuss the elusive Kamba unity.
The tycoon then placed separate calls to Mr Musyoka and the three governors, successfully persuading them to drop their brinkmanship and agree on a united front for the sake of the community.
After holding separate talks with each of them, he demanded that they call each other and initiate dialogue aimed at unifying the people.
During the Stoni Athi meeting, Mr Musyoka and Mrs Ngilu confessed that they indeed called each other at the tycoon’s behest and agreed to drop their hard positions, and have joint BBI rallies.
The Wiper leader further revealed that he was also called by Governor Mutua from Australia, who similarly had been convinced by Mr Muthoka on the need for Kamba unity.
The two camps had unveiled parallel schedule of BBI meetings.
Mr Muthoka’s magic of driving the unity agenda worked when 21 Kamba MPs and more than 165 ward reps from Kitui, Machakos and Makueni turned up for the Stoni Athi meeting.
Governors Mutua and Kibwana, who were out of the country, sent apologies but dispatched teams to represent them.
The tycoon, who sponsored the meals, refreshments, tents and travel logistics for the leaders personally sent invitations to MPs, with MCAs mobilised through their respective county assembly speakers.
Mr Muthoka also gave firm instructions that no one should attend the meeting dressed in their political party’s colours, insisting the convention was meant to discuss the social and economic well-being of the Kamba nation.
With an elite audience of elected leaders from across the region, the tycoon dropped his bombshell in a hard-hitting speech that rebuked them for allegedly doing little to fight poverty in the region.
“As we quarrel over petty political differences, our community is missing out on many key projects that if well-pushed, will deliver enormous economic opportunities and uplift our people,” he said to cheers by MCAs.
Mr Muthoka took issue with what he described as the “collective laxity” of Kamba leaders and failure to push for key government projects.
“For instance, are you aware that the single largest government undertaking after the standard gauge railway, is the proposed Sh200 billion High Grand Falls Dam in Kitui County?” he posed.
He pointed out that the amount is the equivalent of the cumulative five-year annual budgets for Kitui, Machakos and Makueni counties and that the project is collapsing yet no single Kamba leader has taken action.
“This amount of money coming to our region is enough reason for all Kamba leaders to camp at State House, demanding answers and pushing to unlock all the issues hindering the rolling out of the project” he said.
In an apparent dressing-down of the leaders, he added: “Imagine [what would happen] if a project worth Sh200 billion was proposed for Central Kenya or Rift Valley. would leaders in those regions be this quiet and unconcerned?”.
Mr Muthoka also cited the multi-billion coal mining project in Kitui– another forgotten economic game-changer billed as the best alternative source of cheaper industrial power.
“The Kitui coal deposits can increase Kenya’s electricity generation capacity by 5,000 MWs yet no leader is talking about it. The community expects elected leaders to pile pressure on the government to actualise these plans” he said.
The tycoon noted the existence of many political opinions but said that when it comes to Ukambani’s economic issues, they should show unity of purpose.
He blamed their collective silence for the government’s deviation from coal and focus on geothermal power in Olkaria.
“We shouldn’t give the excuse that coal is a dirty source of energy. That is often pushed by Western climate activists. Countries such as China and Germany still use coal it to fire up their industries, but they use modern mining technologies,” he added.
Mr Muthoka said he wants leaders to focus more on empowering the community economically by coming together to clamour for revival of stalled projects, including the Konza techno city.
“We all understand how the government works and that there is a scramble for resources. Unless we gang up to push for these projects, we will [fail] future generations” he said.
He asked leaders to plan for jobs for the youth, material supplies by local traders and the massive multiplier effect of such projects on Ukambani’s economy.
After the meeting, all the leaders were given undisclosed amounts in travel allowances.
On December 24, 2019, Mr Muthoka gifted Wiper party MPs with cash handouts as he announced his intention to participate in shaping the destiny of Ukambani politics.
He splashed about Sh5.5 million at a party Mr Musyoka hosted at his Yatta farm.
Reports indicated that MPs got Sh100,000 each, MCAs Sh50,000 and members of the clergy Sh500,000 each
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