The just released Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) task force report has opened a new battlefront for politicians who are now sharply divided on what route the document should take.
Yesterday, Deputy President William Ruto said he welcomed the proposal for a referendum, but cautioned that such a move would be best done after a consensus is arrived at to avoid dividing the country.
Ruto, however, insisted that the report’s recommendations could be addressed through a legislative process, while other proposals can be actualised through government policies.
“We have read it (report) and there are some parts of it that could be implemented through commissions, policies and if there shall be a referendum, then it would be best we develop a consensus so that the process does not become divisive,” said Dr Ruto, while attending a thanksgiving ceremony for nominated MP David Ole Sankok at Enkare-Ng’iro in Narok South.
“If there shall be clauses that will need a referendum, let us go to it as a united people. Let us avoid the issues of hate, division, and such threats like there will be a Tsunami and such. We have experienced poll chaos in every election and we should avoid that route,” he added.
Raila on Thursday maintained that the recommendations should be adopted through a referendum.
Yesterday, National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale faulted the ODM leader over his opposition to the parliamentary process.
“From where I sit, I think Raila, who was a co-owner of the BBI, does not want this document. Maybe it did not come out as he expected it to and that is why he is now giving these conditions, he just wants to thwart the whole thing,” said Duale.
Leaders openly differed over calls for a referendum at a function in Kirinyaga.
Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria clashed with the Kiambu Woman Representative Gathoni wa Muchomba after he dismissed those calling for a referendum.
Mr Kuria told the gathering that there was no logic in the country spending billions to take the document back to the public when they had already given their views on the same.
“It was just the other day we spent Sh500 million collecting views on the same initiative. Why would we again want to spend more on a referendum when we can easily get everything done through Parliament where we are the people’s representatives?” posed Kuria.
But Ms Wamuchomba dismissed the parliamentary route claiming that MPs could not be trusted to undertake the process as they can be compromised.
“We cannot allow this process to be left to these political thugs and it should be left to the people who are supreme on matters Constitution,” she said.
The Woman Reps remarks attracted the fury of MPs Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu) and Wangui Ngirichi (Kirinyaga Woman Rep), who were attending a harambee in aid of Gathuthini Hope Foundation organised by Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho. Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i was in attendance.
“By simply expressing our democratic rights to state how we feel the BBI should move, and supporting that it comes through Parliament, does not make us political thugs,” Ms Ngirichi said.
In Narok, while the DP appeared to be open to the referendum, his allies vehemently opposed it and instead rooted for the parliamentary process.
