Emerging details indicate that forces opposed to the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) forums have resolved to hold parallel rallies going forward.
The plan, associated with Deputy President William Ruto's camp, includes holding rallies on the same day and in the same area, with or without police permits, a move that might result in clashes with the police.
Such include the February 16 Peace Anniversary event set for the Eldoret Sports Club. On the same day, the BBI forum will be held at the 64 Stadium, barely 3 kilometres away.
The anniversary, a celebration of 8 years of political peace between the Kikuyu and Kalenjin communities, will be led by Mwangi Kiunjuri, who was only a week ago fired from the Agriculture Ministry docket by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
This comes as a confirmation of Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi's remarks last week, that Jubilee Party leaders opposed to the BBI will also organize their functions.
“Let those who are planning problems in Jubilee know that we are not fools and we will launch our plans soon,” said the staunch supporter of Deputy President William Ruto.
Sudi claimed that the forums are a campaign strategy by the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) ahead of the 2022 polls, even as he added that they are not opposed to BBI.
“We also have brains. The so-called BBI meetings are the launch pad for ODM campaigns and they should stop lying to Kenyans,” he added.
His remarks were echoed by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, who stated that the police should keep off the parallel rallies.
“Let them go on with their rallies and allow us to also have our way because we are a democratic country. They should not drag us back,” he stated.