ODM MAKES A U-TURN AND ABANDONS BBI

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has apparently buckled on their Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) push claiming it is not a priority for now.

ODM Deputy Party leader Wycliffe Oparanya on Tuesday afternoon revealed that the referendum needed to be pushed up to next year owing to the biting COVID-19 third wave.

The Kakamega Governor said that the economic situation that the country finds itself, in the middle of the pandemic would prove untenable for the popular initiative to be conducted this year.

“If there is no money at the National Treasury, there is no need of pushing to have the referendum this year. We should plan to hold the referendum next year when our economy has stabilised and Covid-19 contained,” Oparanya said.

The governor’s comments amplified an earlier tweet by ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna asking the government to channel the BBI funds to the fight against Coronavirus.

The statements by the two powerful party officials indicate a twist in ODM’s tactics on BBI.

The document that had been cleared by majority of county assemblies was the making of President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM party leader Raila Odinga’s famous handshake.

” Edwin Sifuna: Kenyans are tired of consultations & stories, even if we do not have our own original ideas, copy what others are doing in the world. There is no money spent on BBI, but if there is a single shilling that was going into BBI we can use it to buy vaccines,” Sifuna said while appearing on Citizen TV’s day break. 

However, reported mistrusts arising from boardroom meetings seem to be threatening the once an unstoppable ‘reggae’.

By Jalang’o TV