National Assembly Majority Whip Benjamin Washiali has insisted that a meeting without ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi and Ford Kenya leader Senator Moses Wetangula is not a Luhya gathering.
A group of leaders led by Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya and COTU boss Francis Atwoli have organised a meeting that will bring together all Luhyas on January 18th.
Reports indicate that the meeting will see President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga attend to popularise the Building Bridges Initiative report.
Mr Benjamin Washiali wondered how a meeting for the region would be organised without the knowledge of key politicians.
“A meeting without Mudavadi, Wetang’ula and myself cannot be called a Luhya event, the organisers will be shocked when we eventually release a statement,” said Mr Washiali.
Mudavadi and Wetangula have denied knowledge of the meeting, a move that could escalate political tensions in the Western region.
“I am not involved at all in the meeting. I don’t know who is planning it, so I would not comment further,” said Mudavadi.
Both Uhuru and Raila are pushing to have the BBI report implemented before the expiry of the former's term as President of Kenya.
Oparanya is positioning himself for a top national post given that his term as governor will also expire in 2022.