Deputy President William Ruto’s onslaught against the Building Bridges Intiative received a fresh boost Monday, after ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi led the Luhya community in trashing the just launched BBI consultative meetings, and the newly gazetted BBI steering taskforce.
Mudavadi, in a statement released Monday, termed the BBI consultative meeting held in Kisii County on Friday, graced by ODM leader Raila Odinga, as a forum threatening to take away the value of the BBI process.
Mudavadi’s sentiments closely resonated with Ruto’s Saturday remarks on Raila’s BBI meetings, which he described as a waste of taxpayers’ money, since nobody is opposed to the recommendations generated by Garissa Senator Yusuf Haji and his team.
Mudavadi further wondered why no hard copies had so far been distributed to Kenyans, majority of who may not have access to the electronic copies circulated online.
He also cautioned politicians against converting BBI consutative meetings into political rallies, noting that this might tear the already divided country further apart.
Of further concern to the former Raila ally was the fact that the newly gazetted BBI steering committe is comprised of the very same individuals who sat on the initial BBI taskforce.
This, the National Super Alliance (NASA) co-principal said, might compromise the objectivity of the entire BBI undertaking.
”We note the steering committee comprises the same persons who were on the BBI taskforce. We would hope that the team seeks freshness of ideas and energy through coopting competent people to bring on board new thoughts,” Mudavadi opined in his statement.
He promised that his party would, nevertheless, work with the BBI team to resolve the concerns pointed out, for the overall benefit of the country.