59 Mt Kenya leaders allied to Tangatanga table 5 strict demands after 2 days of closed-door meeting, setting the stage for epic clash roping in President Uhuru Kenyatta, Raila Odinga and DP William Ruto

Jubilee MPs from the expansive Mount Kenya region allied to the Tangatanga faction that is linked to DP Ruto convened at Mountain Breeze hotel in Embu for a two-day retreat and emerged with tough demands, setting the stage for an epic clash, roping in President Uhuru Kenyatta, His Deputy William Ruto and Raila Odinga

The meeting which was attended by 59 lawmakers most of whom had complained of being sidelined in President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Sagana meeting saw them emerge with tough conditions that will definately ruffle feathers and stir Kenya’s political scene as we know it today.

Participants made it clear that they would reject any attempt to take the country to a referendum, insisting that the report should be processed through parliament.

“We strongly hold that any constitutional amendment in relation to BBI report should be Parliament…Our people are already overburdened. Our national resources should be spared from a national referendum. It should be avoided.” Read a statement from Moses Kuria who was one of the participants.

Should push come to shove and a referendum is inevitable, the meeting that was Christened “Mt Kenya and Diaspora Elected leaders meeting” made it clear that they would only accept a referendum under three strict conditions.

A section of the 59 politicians who convened in Embu Pulse Live Kenya

The leaders maintained that before moving to a referendum, there should be consensus building to bring everyone on board and avoid an exercise that will leave the nation more divided and defeat the primary goal of the handshake and BBI.

Their statement read in part that “If we must go the referendum route, if at all, these broad values and perspectives must drive us. And that referendum must be based solely on the issues raised in the current BBI report. A process that unites us, not one that divides us.”

“If at all a referendum is the way to go, it must carry along everyone. We shall refuse a referendum

that will leave Kenya more divided. And while on that, and for avoidance of doubt, we shall refuse

another committee of experts. That is unnecessary” Added the statement.

They also ruled out the possibility of a referendum before the 2022 general election maintaining that as a last resort, it will be conducted alongside the 2022 general election.

Side-lined

“We strongly hold that the referendum should be conducted alongside the 2022 general election”. Added the statement.

The resolutions of the two-day meeting places the President in a dilemma as to which side he will choose in regards to the implementation of the BBI report that has seen Jubilee divided right in the middle.

DP William Ruto, President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga at Bomas of Kenya durig the presentation of the BBI report Pulse Live Kenya

Both sides are already accusing each other of having evil plans to hijack the report and mutilate its contents for their own selfish reasons.

Whereas the Kieleweke outfit maintains that it should not be left to political thugs (in parliament) but it should be left to the people who are supreme on matters Constitution”, participants at the Embu meting hold that “BBI must not be hijacked by evil people”.