Moses Kuria: Uhuru, Ruto meeting a sign to revive BBI talks

Moses Kuria addressing the media at KICC, Nairobi on April 23, 2024. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

Hours after President William Ruto and his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta held a closed-door meeting, former Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria has asked politicians in the country to re-look the Constitution.

This was after Kuria, who was opposed to the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), said it was time to revive the conversation.

Following the March 2018 handshake with former Premier Raila Odinga, Uhuru proposed a raft of amendments to the Constitution dubbed BBI. However, the proposals were shot down by the courts.

Kuria made the remarks in a post on his social media pages on Tuesday afternoon, which captured his reaction to Uhuru-Ruto meeting and other political issues.

He lauded the two leaders for choosing to put their differences aside terming it an act of ‘sobriety, selflessness and patriotism’.

“Closing ranks and forgiving each other is much easier than having to deal with the aftermath of a failed nation/state. In this regard, I wish to thank [Former] President Kenyatta and President Ruto for choosing the nation over personal or sectarian considerations. Coming hot on the heels of the formation of the broad based government by President Ruto and Prime Minister Raila Odinga, it is another affirmation of Kenya's resilience,” Kuria’s statement reads in part.

The former Gatundu South MP who appears to accept that opposing the BBI was a mistake said: “The frequent handshakes and artificial formations have vindicated President Kenyatta and Prime Minister Raila on the BBI initiative. They were right and we were wrong. I urge President Ruto, President Kenyattaand Prime Minister Raila to close ranks and lead the nation in picking from where BBI flopped and give this county a Constitution that speaks to the emerging realities of our nation and our society. BBI Season 2 is urgent and cannot wait,”

Kuria says emotions expressed in Mount Kenya region after Rigathi Gachagua’s impeachment and ouster from the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party are normal.

In what seems like an effort to ensure no other leader from the region is ousted in such a manner, the former CS who is now a Senior Advisor at the Council of Economic Advisors in State House is urging the people of Central Region to re-unite under the Jubilee Party.

Kuria admits that leaving the former ruling party to join UDA and other political parties was a mistake.

“For all the good and bad lessons we have learnt, it was a mistake to leave the Jubilee Party. However, it is not too late. We will now embark on bringing all the political parties with a footing in the region together under the Jubilee Party. We did it in 2016 when we dissolved parties to form Jubilee. We will do it again. Jubilee under President Kenyatta as the party header is the way to go,” he says.

In the run-up to 2022 General Election, most politicians in Central region decamped from Jubilee Party and either joined Ruto’s UDA or formed their own parties.

Kuria formed Chama Cha Kazi party, which he used to vie for for Kiambu governorship. He lost to UDA candidate Kimani Wamatangi.

UDA won in most of the elective seats in Central crippling the former president’s party in the region.

Jubilee was further weakened by leadership wrangles that saw some members jump ship to work with Kenya Kwanza government.