The Majority Leader in the Senate Kipchumba Murkomen Saturday left many Kenyans stunned when he declared his support for the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) and a referendum.
Murkomen spoke on Saturday at the BBI rally at Mama Ngina Waterfront Park in Mombasa.
The Elgeyo Marakwet Senator who had steered away from the referendum debate was however put to task by Governor Hassan Joho to state his stand and to the surprise of many, he answered in the affirmative amid cheers from the crowd.
Murkomen said the referendum will be needed to unite Kenyans and end the ‘us versus them’.
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He added, “It is no longer about us verses them, we are united. We’ve all agreed that referendum is a must,” he said.
The Senator is a key ally of Deputy President William Ruto. A faction of Jubilee party associated with the DP has in the past publicly rejected calls for a referendum.
A section of MPs allied to the DP attended the Mombasa rally where they backed the initiative as long as it addresses issues affecting Kenyans and inclusivity in leadership.
He said the resolution passed by Coast leaders to include the post of a Prime Minister and that of a deputy will only be achieved through a referendum.
We are ready for a referendum say Senator Murkomen, a close ally of the Deputy President #BBIInMombasa ^MK pic.twitter.com/yI7CxWyq3i
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” We want to redirect the river back to its course so that our focus is no longer about who is outside and who is not but about the issues that are affecting the citizens of this republic” added Murkomen.
Senator Susan Kihika, a supporter of the DP also addressed the rally. She said she was fully behind BBI.
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