This archive report was first published on 4 August 2020.
After a period of personal health challenges, Orange Democratic Movement leader Raila Odinga has returned to the spotlight, rekindling hopes for the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) and the contentious revenue-sharing formula in the Senate.
On Sunday, Raila was spotted at a meeting at Cotu boss Francis Atwoli's Kajiado home, accompanied by Siaya Senator James Orengo, Igembe North MP Maoka Maore, and two former Gatanga MPs Peter Kenneth and David Murathe.
Atwoli expressed gratitude for Raila's recovery, saying, 'We thank God for taking care of Raila while he was undergoing medication. I am humbled that he chose my Ildamat home to have lunch with us.'
David Murathe, the Jubilee Party vice-chairman, revealed that they met for lunch and discussed national issues, including the formula for revenue allocation to the counties, which was rejected by the Senate on Tuesday.
According to Murathe, 'I met Raila in Malindi on Saturday and we agreed to have lunch at Atwoli's place the next day. In our discussions, we took stock of what happened at the Senate and arrived at a way forward.'
Atwoli's home has been a hub for pro-BBI leaders from Western Kenya, and the meeting marked a significant step towards moving the BBI agenda forward.
With the Ministry of Health's ban on political gatherings due to the coronavirus pandemic, proponents of the BBI face a significant challenge in selling their agenda to the public.
However, the Kajiado meeting resolved that the BBI report should be made available to Kenyans to read and discuss, paving the way for a more inclusive and transparent process.
