President Uhuru Kenyatta has dispelled fears that the newly launched the Building Bridges Initiative report is meant to benefit the political class in the country.
Speaking during the launch at the Bomas of Kenya, the president said that the report is meant to benefit all Kenyans by ironing out differences which has been rocking the country for many years.
Kenyatta urged Kenyans to read and submit their input into it terming the report as a mere proposal which has to be fine-tuned to bring harness in the country.
“This report is not about, Uhuru, is not about Ruto, is not about Raila, is not about Mudavadi or Wetangula , lets us own it in mashinani.“The president said
The president urged leaders and all Kenyans of all spheres also the political class to exonerate themselves from the divisive politics.
The deputy president William Ruto pointed that the BBI is cardinal following the fact that the report will enable the building of institutions which will strengthen governance and equity in the country.
“The initiative has started a conversation that there is no bigger or smaller person, it is important for us to know where we are what brought us here and how to get forward.”The deputy president said
However, he warned that there is a need for the country to be careful so that the process is not hijacked by politicians.
“We must be careful that this process is not hijacked by the political class,”Ruto said
Some of the components in the BBI report include,Powerful president directly elected by the people with deputy president,President appointing the prime minister who will oversee the functions of the government,establishment of official opposition office ,overhaul of the IEBC before 2022 whose commissioners will be vetted,26th of December dropped and renamed national cultural day.
Other BBI recommendations include the retention of 47 counties and 290 constituencies.
The president’s assertion was echoed by former prime min ister Raila Odinga , who said that the report is not a scheme to create positions for political class urging the wananchi to read the document and submit whatever they want in it so that it can be entirely Wanjiku initiative
On the other hand, women governors including Kitui governor Charity Ngilu and her Kirinyaga counterpart Anne Waiguru urged the need to have 50 /50 representation of women in key positions in government.
