Leaders call for creation of Kuria County in BBI

Former Migori Senator Dr Wilfred Machage (Centre) speaks during a press conference at Kiikalloh Resort in Machakos County on December 18, 2019. PHOTO | STEPHEN MUTHINI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Led by former Senator Dr Wilfred Machage, the leaders said devolution had not addressed marginalisation of the minority community.
  • The leaders said there was underrepresentation of the Kuria community in county and national governments.
  • They suggested the creation of Kuria County be put as a referendum question to allow Kenyans decide.

Kuria leaders are demanding for creation of their own county as part of the Building Bridges Initiative in order to address what they term as marginalization of the community suffered since independence.

Led by former Senator Dr Wilfred Machage who is currently the Kenyan Ambassador to Nigeria and Kuria East Member of Parliament Marwa Maisori, the leaders including members of County Assembly and professionals said devolution had not addressed marginalisation of the minority community as they were not equitably represented in Migori County.

Speaking at a Press conference at Kiikalloh Grand Resort in Machakos on Wednesday, the leaders said the Kuria community has 308,000 members according to the recent population census; a bigger number than the population of Lamu (164,000) and Tharaka-Nithi counties.

PROPOSAL

"The creation of Kuria County had been considered in the Bomas draft only to be dropped at Naivasha. We had put the same proposal before the BBI team. Our proposal was heavily referenced but dropped. There is only one sentence that made it to the report, "said Mr Maisori who read a joint statement of the Kuria Leadership Caucus.

The leaders pointed out that Taita-taveta, Marsabit, Lamu and Tharaka-Nithi enjoyed county status yet they had a population almost equal to the Kuria community population.

Mr Maisori welcomed the extension of the term of the BBI team adding it was yet another opportunity for the Kuria people to be heard.

He said the creation of Kuria County should be put as a referendum question to allow Kenyans decide.

REPRESENTATION

Dr Machage lauded the BBI agenda but added that small communities needed to be equally represented as well.

"The Kuria have been servants since independence. How many of us are in government? We are citizens like others and are human. We are tired," said Dr Machage.

Speaking on the claims that creation of more units of representation would lead to ballooning of the national wage bill, Dr Machage said those opposing the move were already well-represented.

Former Mayor Joseph Chacha said the Kuria comprised 30 per cent of the population in Migori County yet they could not produce a governor or Women Representative.

He added that there were ten Executive Committee members in the current Migori County government but only two slots were occupied by members of the Kuria community.

"We don't get equal distribution of resources in Migori County. A third of the resources in the County should be go to the Kuria community," he said.