DP RUTO SPEAKS ON BBI SIGNATURE COLLECTION

“We can still strike a consensus to address the divisive proposals fronted by the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report.”

This is the stand of DP who insists that the issues attracting dissent in the report can still be solved even after the launch of signature collection for the plebiscite today. According to the DP, the document has sown the seeds of strife, hence, if left unchecked could end up entrenching division through a contested referendum.

“Even with the signature launch, there is still a real chance at a consensus for a non-divisive referendum that will give Kenyans the opportunity to express themselves without [sic] an us vs them, win vs lose the contest. unity is the strength needed to fight Covid-19 and organise the economy,” he tweeted on Wednesday afternoon, in reaction to the launch of the collection of signatures.

Ruto fielded some reservations at Bomas during the launch of the report on October 26 as he faulted some of the proposals. For instance, he questioned the methodology through which creation of positions of Prime Minister and two deputies from the majority party in the Parliament would address the winner-take-it all snag that was flagged as the genesis of anarchy in the country.

He then faulted the creation of the office of Ombudsman to be appointed by the presidency arguing that that move would water down powers of the Judiciary. But last week, the DP met President Uhuru Kenyatta after the signature collection launch was put on hold leading to speculations that perhaps he had managed to successfully push for the consensus.

The BBI Secretariat led by Suna East MP Junet Mohamed and former Dagoretti South MP Dennis Waweru set  November 25 as the day for the launch of the exercise. It comes five days after it aborted due to delay in the publication of the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill 2020.

“We now wish to inform all Kenyans that we shall launch collection of signatures as it is required by law for the Bill tomorrow. The process will be led by the president and former Prime Minister Raila,” Waweru said on Monday.

Sourced from The Standard