This archive report was first published on 16 July 2019.
On July 15, 2019, the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) task-force was scheduled to hold a meeting in Tana River. However, the event was aborted after a plane carrying its members, including Chairman Yusuf Haji and Vice Chair Adams Oloo, attempted to land at an airstrip in Hola but was forced to divert to Lamu due to heavy flooding.
Heavy rains had pounded Hola for two days prior, causing significant flooding and rendering the airstrip unusable. The BBI task-force, formed by President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, had visited 44 counties to collect public views on reforming Kenya's political, governance, and electoral systems.
Over 150 opinion leaders from Tana River's three sub-counties had gathered at the local town hall in Hola, awaiting the meeting. However, they were left disappointed after being told of the developments at the last minute.
Ms. Rachel Kamweru, an official of the BBI Secretariat, apologized to the delegates, citing security concerns as the reason for the aborted meeting. "I am apologising that the commissioners have refused to take the risk to land here because the airstrip was wet and the pilot cannot land completely and they cannot insist on it," she said.
A new meeting will be convened at a future date to be announced.
