Rehema Jaldesa, the Isiolo Woman Rep, has ditched Tangatanga group affiliated to Deputy President William Ruto and joined Kieleweke team that supports Handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM Leader Raila Odinga.
The first term legislator who has been an avid supporter of Dr Ruto last week accompanied four other MPs from the county to meet Mr Odinga in Nairobi in last minute efforts to ensure they are not locked out of the ongoing Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) consultative meetings.
The other lawmakers are Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo, MPs Abdi Koropu and Hassan Odha of Isiolo South and North and Nominated Senator Abshiro Halake.
Ms Jaldesa, known for her candid stand and statements, was initially opposed to the BBI report but has since the start of the consultative meetings in Kisii taken an about turn.
The action, according to our sources, was prompted by Governor Mohamed Kuti’s recent surprise move to join his colleagues who are at the forefront in rallying Kenyans towards supporting the document.
But what seems to have worried the leaders most is seeing Mr Kuti at the recent BBI rally in Mombasa where he was allowed to make a brief address.
“The MPs were so shocked to see the Governor address at the Mombasa rally. They feared being seen as among the leaders from the county opposing BBI,” the source told Press Point.
Immediately after the meeting, the lawmakers took to social media and shared selfies and group photos with the former Premier in what was construed to show that they too were at the frontline in popularizing the report.
“As MPs from Isiolo, we had a meeting with Mr Odinga to discuss issues touching on our region and the ongoing BBI process,” the Isiolo North MP posted.
Ms Dullo wrote on her Facebook page “…It is time we build a united nation free from discord. Isiolo fully supports the initiative as we take step towards political and economic prosperity”
Senator Abshiro hailed Mr Odinga as “great son of the soil” saying it was pleasure to break bread with Baba (Raila).
Perturbed by the Nairobi meeting, Governor Kuti skipped the last weekend’s BBI tour in Kitui County.
The leaders are embroiled in a row with the county boss over land adjudication that they have severally insisted should be done after the county gets a community land title while the devolved unit wants the process done at townships and settled areas while the rest of the land remains under community.
